Protocol
by roguest
Summary: After an assassination order has been placed upon the Morgensterns, The Academy has sent out their three best teen-Agents to cover the situation. After a conflict of interest arises, it appears the mission may be more impossible to complete than first thought. They will do anything to complete the mission. After all: it's just protocol. Human AU. M for Mature. Explicit content.
1. Duty Calls

**Chapter One - The Mission**

 _Welcome to my first ever TMI fic! Also only the first (second) fic I've ever written on this site, though we don't talk about what 2012-me wrote. Just a forewarning before I start anything; this will be MY interpretation of all the characters, though for the most part they will be your expected book-personality, though with a little bit of Rogue flair. Jace will be extra douchey, Clary won't be the helpless damsel in distress, though both will have sensitive and angsty scenes. It will also be rated as mature for violence, explicit language, and scenes of steamy nature (see my profile for a more in depth explanation). Now, without further adieu, I present: Protocol._

* * *

The ever-constant -thud-thud- of fists connecting with something semi solid rang out clear in the training room, it being the only sound other than the occasional huff of air. The boy stood at one end let out a sharp breath as his knuckles once more connected with the punching bag dangling in front of him, watching as it swung before hitting it again. A small creaking sound broke through the silence, though he refused to lose concentration from the task at hand. Two more sharp breaths brought along two more swift jabs to either side of the bag, another two following shortly after.

"Jace," a gruff voice echoed from behind him, and the boy let out a frustrated huff as he stopped the bag from swinging.

"What is it, Alec?" Jace held onto either side of the bag as he panted, using the momentary distraction to get his breath back. He rested his forehead against the training equipment, not turning to look at the person owning the voice.

"The Director ordered me to come fetch you. Wants us in his office in ten minutes."

"Us?" That caught Jace's attention, and he finally dropped his hands from the bag and turned to face the tall, dark-haired boy. "Does that mean Aldertree's got a mission for us?"

"Well, us - and Isabelle." Alec shrugged. He and Jace were partners in the Academy, so it would be expected that they would go on missions together - that's what partners did. Why Isabelle was invited this time, Jace hadn't a clue. He huffed once again and moved over to the bench by the wall, picking up his shirt that he had discarded earlier during his workout. He used it to wipe at the sweat on his forehead before tossing it over his right shoulder. Jace raised a hand dismissively in a gesture that told Alec he didn't have to wait around, though he knew he probably still would.

It didn't take long for Jace until he was entirely clean of his sweat. In fact, as he walked out of the changing rooms in fresh black jeans and a long-sleeved white shirt, you couldn't even tell that he had just been working out for the past three hours. It was more like he was ready to walk the stage at New York fashion week.

As expected, Alec was leaning against he wall beside the door to the changing room with his arms crossed and a foot kicked up behind him. Jace nodded once though just kept walking, forcing Alec to push off from the wall and jog a few strides to get to his level. "This mission better be good if Aldertree has the nerve to interrupt my training session." Jace spat, resulting in Alec rolling his eyes.

"We all know you don't need training, so cut the victim act."

"I might not, but you sure do." Jace smirked as they turned a corner hallway towards the Director's office, spotting Izzy already stood outside waiting for them.

"Do you always have to be an asshole?" Alec huffed in the same tone that he always spoke in when he was fed up with Jace's antics - which was most of the time. Jace chuckled.

"I mean, I don't have to." Jace shrugged in response, before looking up at his partner with a cheeky wink. "But it is fun."

"Are you two done bickering?" Isabelle sounded bored as she glanced up at the two bickering brothers. She stood in a similar pose that Alec had taken up when he was waiting for Jace to change, and it was hard not to notice the similarities between the two with moments like that. If you didn't know them, they could definitely pass for twins, what with their identically black hair and identical facial features. Their only difference was Isabelle had soft brown eyes which complimented her hair, while Alec's eyes were strikingly blue and stuck out from the rest of his appearance. "Aldertree's been on my ass asking about where the hell you two had gotten to."

Alec wrinkled his nose up at that as his sister turned to open up the office door. "Not sure if I like the image of a forty-something year old man being on my eighteen-year old sister's ass." Jace coughed as he quickly rubbed the bottom of his nose with his hand to disguise a chuckle, before feeling a sharp elbow being jabbed into his side. "You know what I mean."

Walking through the door brought you to Aldertree's secretary's office, which was small with a couple chairs and a desk which a young girl constantly sat behind. Jace flashed her a gleaming smile as she looked up, only forcing her to roll her eyes and look down again. "Good morning, Aline." Jace cooed, leaning an arm on the desk to lean towards the girl. "May I say you're looking absolutely ravishing on this fine Tuesday."

"Save the bullcrap, Agent." The girl hissed sarcastically, though Jace just grinned. "Aldertree's waiting for you. Don't know what you did this time, but he seems on edge."

"What makes you think I did anything?" He backed up defensively, raising his hands in mock-surrender. Aline just gave him a look of disbelief, before shaking her head and going back to typing something on her computer. Jace scoffed as he turned back to his friends, dropping his hands in disbelief. "Women, am I right?" He directed this comment more so to Alec, who blissfully ignored him, while Isabelle stalked angrily past him, ensuring to shove at his chest with her shoulder as she went. Jace stumbled back and raised a hand to rub at the pain, simply staring after the black-haired beauty as she walked into the main office. "Your own fault." Snarked Alec as he, too, walked into the office, leaving Jace stood alone.

"Ah, Agent Herondale, nice of you to join us." A condescending voice echoed throughout the room as he entered, before the owner of the voice turned around from facing the window to look at Jace. "Fashionably late, as usual."

Jace made his way to stand besides Alec, donning the same formal stance with his feet shoulder width apart, hands locked behind his back. His eyes locked with the Director's as he spoke. "My apologies, Director Aldertree, for wanting to improve my skills as an Agent. It won't happen again." He could almost feel his partner tense up next to him at his sarcastic comment, though he just smirked. The Director, however, didn't look as pleased, as he let out a sharp laugh.

"You're lucky you're a talented Agent, Herondale." He commented as he approached Jace slowly, his own hands locked behind his back. "Otherwise that smart mouth of yours would have gotten you kicked out long ago."

"Thinking about my mouth, now? At least buy me dinner, first." Jace challenged, the shit-eating smirk still plastered across his lips. The Director stared him down with a scrutinising expression, though Jace refused to let up. With another short scoff, the Director turned on his heels and headed to the other side of his desk.

"I didn't call you here to be backchatted, Agents. I brought you here for a mission." He sat down in his tall, leather seat, before gesturing for nodding to the sofa in front. Jace, Alec, and Isabelle, all relaxed their stances before sitting down on the sofa in the same order they were stood. The sofa was perfectly sized for them all to fit comfortably, and Jace couldn't help but wonder how uncomfortable it would be if it were three larger agents.

Aldertree took out a rather bulky folder from a drawer under his desk, placing it on top and opening it up. He proceeded to pull out three more folders that had resided inside the first one, laying them all out in front of him. "I'd assume you are all aware of Starkweather International?"

Alec was the one to answer. "It's a multi-billion dollar company, of course. Co-owned by Hodge Starkweather and Valentine Morgenstern. It's almost like a dozen different business' under one umbrella company. Starkweather Medical, Starkweather Construction... They practically own New York City."

"Very good, Alec." Aldertree nodded with an expression that somewhat resembled a smile, opening the folder furthest to his left and turning it to show his agents. There was a picture of both of the owners of Starkweather International, as well as several sheets of paper which seemed to be various scripts of phone calls and bank exchanges.

"Internal sources have relayed information to us which has created a cause for concern." He shuffled the papers to put a specific one on top, leaning over the desk to hand it to Alec. He took it, silently, before reading over the information, while Jace and Isabelle continued to watch Aldertree. "Turns out that, although Hodge's name is on the company building, he isn't the big boss."

"Morgenstern is?" Jace arched an eyebrow in disbelief. Whenever the company was in the news, Starkweather was almost always the spokesperson. Morgenstern always seemed to be more of the behind the scenes man.

"Apparently so." Aldertree nodded. "Turns out, the company is at a 70-30 split in Valentine's direction."

"That doesn't seem entirely fair." Isabelle defended, leaning forwards with her elbows perched on her knees. "From an external view, it seems that Starkweather does all the work. How is Valentine in charge?"

"Says here that the company was built on Morgenstern's money." Alec said, gesturing to the piece of paper in his hand. "Without him, the business would have never started. Guess that's why he's got such a large portion of the funds."

"So Starkweather's being cheated of a couple billion dollars, so what? That's business." Jace bit, not caring much for business talk. "What has this got to deal with us?"

"Patience, Herondale." Aldertree scolded, watching Jace through furrowed brows. "I'm getting there."

Alec handed over the piece of paper to Jace once he was finished with it, before the blond sighed in relief. One more stare down with the Director and he thought he might turn to stone.

"Word's gotten out that Starkweather isn't too pleased with being cut such a small portion of the company any more." Aldertee continued. "He was fine at the beginning when it was still relatively small, but a twelve-billion dollar company means that a 70-30 split is a pretty big difference."

"That would mean he's getting, what, 3 and a half billion? While Valentine's getting almost 8 and a half." Jace scoffed as he read the bit of paper. "Can't say I blame the guy. I'd be pretty pissed as well."

"Yes, well, I'd say he's more than 'pretty pissed'. So much so, that he's planning an assassination attempt on his partner, in hopes that he automatically gets his share of the company." That got the trio's attention, Jace's especially as his head shot up from reading the paper to look straight at the Director.

"So you want us to take him down?" Jace inquired, handing the bit of paper across Alec and to Isabelle without even looking.

"Not exactly." The Director corrected, placing the first folder to the side before opening the remaining two. "Turns out Valentine has two kids, Clary and Jonathan." He explained. "Since they are his next of kin, they would be the first people his share of the company goes to, should he pass."

"So in order to get the money, Starkweather has to kill those two as well." Isabelle was the first to conclude aloud, Aldertree simply nodding in confirmation. "Three planned assassinations? This guy's definitely determined, that's for sure."

Jace reached for the front pieces of paper of either folder - the two profiles - looking at them both side by side. The son definitely looked like Valentine, though the daughter looked nothing like either of them. They weren't 'kids', but they weren't 'adults' either. The girl was cute, though, Jace had to admit. It was a shame that she had a psycho-businessman after her ass.

"Agent Herondale, you are being assigned to the girl; Clarissa Morgenstern. Take her file, study it, and tomorrow you will be set on the mission." Jace smirked at the fact he had been given the daughter to look after, more so with the irony about it. Isabelle and Alec knew what he was like around pretty girls, though he wasn't sure the Director was. He knew, though, that he couldn't let his hobby get muddled with his mission.

The Director then nodded to Alec. "Agent Lightwood, you will be assigned to the boy, Jonathan Morgenstern. Same instructions to you. Take his file, and study it. Your mission starts tomorrow."

"And what about me?" Isabelle arched an eyebrow questioningly, a somewhat confused expression on her face. "Am I just here to look pretty? Because as good as I am at that, I'd rather get my hands in on the action."

"Of course not, Agent Lightwood." Aldertree smiled to her. "You will oversee the entire operation. I am designating you as officially in command of this mission. You will look over Agents Herondale and Lightwood, ensuring they are staying on task. Anything happens, you report to me." Isabelle sat back in her seat at that and folded her arms, a smug smirk across her lips. She wiggled her eyebrows pointedly at Jace and Alec, rubbing it in further. She always did enjoy being in charge of the pair.

"You have your files." Aldertree rose from his chair, automatically evoking a response from the Agents as they also rose, designated folders in their hands. "Your mission starts tomorrow at 9am sharp." He escorted the three out of his office as well as out of the secretary's room, standing in the door way with his hands poised at his front. "Do not disappoint me, Agents."

"We wont, Director Aldertree." Alec nodded politely. "Thank you."

Aldertree nodded in reply, before turning to head back into his office. Once he was out of earshot, Isabelle let out a triumphant cheer and a 1980s power grab. Jace stared at her in disbelief, not uttering a word. "Don't give me that look, Herondale." She scolded with a fiery glare. "You're just jealous that he put me in charge of this operation."

"Hey, not at all!" He raised his hands in a sign of surrender. "I'm proud of you, sis. I knew all that Aldertree ass-kissing would move you up through the ranks." He quickly skirted a swift punch aimed for his gut, before flipping her off. She returned the gesture before Alec stepped in between them.

"Easy, children, let's not kill each other before this mission even starts." Alec was always the reasonable one of the trio, which frustrated Jace to no avail. He could never have any fun.

"Okay, _Dad,"_ Isabelle rolled her eyes sarcastically as she began walking off in a different direction. Jace scoffed, earning a swift smack to the back of his head from the folder in Alec's hand. "Ow!" He dramatically called out, lifting a hand to rub his head.

Alec looked at him, unimpressed, before gesturing to Jace's own folder. "Shut up, and get to work."

* * *

 _Thank you for reading the first chapter of 'Protocol', I hope for this series to go far. Feel free to leave any reviews or tips or advice. I will try not to make this before and after notes a regular occurrence; only when necessary._


	2. Siblings Raise Hell

**Chapter Two - The Clients**

 _Thank you for all the support shown on the first chapter of this story; I really didn't expect such an overwhelming response (80+ views in just three days). Thank you!_

 _Chapter Song;_

 _Shine - The Northern Hues_

* * *

There was a small slither of sunlight radiating through the gap of the curtains, warming the small stretch of the room it illuminated. The golden strip lay across the bare, wooden floor, guiding up the side of a bed and lighting a small portion of a sleeping girls' face. She stirred, a small murmur rumbling softly from her throat as she felt the light against her eyelid. After a moment or so, her eyes fluttered open, squinting at the immediate strip of sunlight shining at them. She turned around to face the darkness of the other side of the room with a contented sigh, looking up at the digital clock on her bedside cabinet.

" _7.15?"_ She complained aloud to nobody in particular, her voice quiet and hoarse from having just woken up. She silently cursed her internal body clock for waking her up at this time every day, whether she had college or not. Today was one of the more unfortunate of times, Wednesday being her only day off during the week. She sighed, knowing that getting back to sleep would be an impossible option.

Remaining in her casual sleepwear of simple black underwear and an oversized white shirt, she begrudgingly dragged herself out of the comfort of her bed, heading into the main body of her apartment. She figured that at such an early time, both her roommates would still be fast asleep. Lucky bastards.

She threw her mane of untamed, red curls into a high ponytail as she entered the kitchen - which just so happened to be joined to the living room - and began searching for something to caffeinate herself with. She struck lucky, the coffee pot being half full from the day before. Part of her knew that it would probably taste disgusting, but she wasn't in it for the taste; she was in it for the energy.

She leaned against the counter with her arms folded as she waited for the coffee to brew, closing her eyes as she rested.

"Put some clothes on, why don't you?" A teasing male voice came from across the room, causing the female to open her eyes and look across immediately. A tall, masculine, blond boy stood leaning against the doorframe of his bedroom, wearing less than she was.

"You can talk." Her eyes raked up and down his body, the only article of clothing upon his person being his black boxer briefs with a white hem. The blond boy chuckled, pushing off the woodwork and making his way over to her.

"Yes, but it's more socially acceptable for men to be without a shirt. It's not socially acceptable for a girl to be without pants."

"Okay, okay, hold up." The red-head turned her body to face him, holding a hand up in a 'stop' type of gesture. "You're not wearing pants, either. What's your excuse?"

He shrugged, reaching to the top of the cupboards to pull down a box of cereal. "Because I can." He remarked with a smirk, turning to the fridge to take out the milk. "Besides, you think that a brother _wants_ to see his sister in nothing but her underwear?"

"I'm wearing more than just underwear!" She retorted with a huff, just as the coffee had finished brewing. She took out a mug from the cupboard above her head as she continued to squabble with her brother. "What makes you think _I_ want to see _you_ in just your underwear? Hmm?"

She poured her coffee before stealing the cartoon of milk from her brother's hands, dribbling some into her coffee, before taking a tea towel from the counter to clean up any mess. The male smirked as he took back the milk, shaking his head. "Because everybody wants to see this gorgeous body." His voice was disgustingly smarmy, though his sister knew he was only joking.

"You're gross, Jonathan!" She hissed, twirling the towel in her hand before whipping it against her brother's bare back.

He shouted loudly, dropping the milk from his hand as he gripped the countertop, though it wasn't clear whether it was from pain or surprise. "Clary, what the fuck?" He growled, looking between his sister and the mess he had created. Clary just smirked, tossing the towel in his direction for him to use to clean up.

"Can you Morgensterns keep it down?" A voice called from somewhere in the apartment, though no owner appeared until several seconds later. Clary rolled her eyes as a head peeked around from one of the doors, a half-asleep expression plastered on their face with their brown mop of hair splayed up in sporadic directions. "Some of us need sleep, you know."

"Maybe if you hadn't stayed up until 4am playing _Halo_ , Simon, you wouldn't need as much sleep." Clary teased as she walked into the living room with her mug of coffee in hand, looking up at her best friend with a sarcastic smirk. He stuck his tongue out at her childishly, and she retaliated, though he disappeared back into his bedroom before either could do much else.

She sat down on the end of the sofa, pulling her legs up to sit on them as she sipped cautiously at her drink. She closed her eyes with a blissful hum, imagining she could already feel the caffeine coursing through her veins. She opened them when she felt the sofa dip down besides her, and she looked to see her older brother sat there, legs crossed, and a bowl of cocoa pops in his hands. He ate a spoonful of them as he settled, his sister looking at him curiously. "How come you're up so early? You don't start until 12 on a Wednesday."

Jonathan shrugged, taking another spoonful of his breakfast before answering. "Coach put in an extra training session for early this morning. Gotta be at the field for 9."

Jonathan was captain of the _Lacrosse_ team, naturally, though he wasn't the stereotypical jock figure. He wasn't a player, he wasn't an asshole, he wasn't full of himself. He was just... Jonathan.

"Can I come?" Clary asked over the rim of her mug, her eyebrows innocently raised. She didn't have much else to do, and she always enjoyed watching the lacrosse team play. They were pretty good - one of the best in the country. She wouldn't be surprised if one or two of the players were offered professional placements after college.

"Why?" Her brother arched an accusatory eyebrow. "Want to peep on a certain player?" Clary looked at him with a confused expression, and he knew she was playing dumb. "Like a certain _Sebastian Verlac?"_

Clary looked away swiftly at that comment, though not before the blush on her cheeks gave her away. She sipped her coffee silently, averting her gaze away from her brothers smirking face. It was true that she and one of the team's attack players had an ongoing 'thing', but everyone knew that it wasn't anything beyond that. He also happened to be one of his brothers closest friends, so at least she had his approval.

She never answered his question through fear of embarrassing herself - furthermore, he already knew the answer. Eventually he gave in, rolling his eyes with a huff. "Fine, you can come." She looked over at him with a grin, before he quickly set her in her place. "But no distractions. There's a big game this weekend and I don't want to be worrying about what Verlac's doing to my little sister. Best friend or not, I will break his nose."

"Jonathan!" Clary scolded, sitting up straight as she hit one of her hands against the back of the sofa. He looked at her with an arched brow, and she shook her head in disbelief. "Nobody's noses are going to be broken, okay?"

"Good. Glad to hear that."

* * *

It was the beginning of the school year, being late September. It was warm outside, meaning Clary found herself comfortable in black yoga pants and a grey crop top, partnered with a long, white cardigan, and black heeled ankle boots. Her hair was still messily splayed in a ponytail from earlier, and she decided to leave it as so. The knots when she eventually brushed it would haunt her in the long run, but she wasn't going anywhere special.

"Leaving in five minutes, Clare!" Jonathan's voiced called from somewhere in the apartment, and she nodded despite the fact she knew he couldn't see her. She grabbed her bag, shoving her sketchbook and a tin of pencils into it, as well as her purse and phone, before heading out of her bedroom.

Simon was lounging on the sofa in the living room, still looking as tired and raggedy as he did before. "You look like death." Clary commented with a laugh, earning the middle finger from her brown-haired flatmate. She rolled her eyes, crossing over into the kitchen to grab a bottle of flavoured water from the fridge. "Are you sure you don't want to come?" She asked as she bumped the fridge door closed with her butt. The figure on the sofa groaned in return, which was answer enough for Clary.

Jonathan emerged from his room wearing his burgundy lacrosse shorts and a white shirt which clung perfectly to his body, showing off his sculpted muscles. A dufflebag was slung across his back, and his stick was in his right hand. He looked up at his sister expectantly as she smiled back at him. "You ready to head off?" He reached over and grabbed his car keys from the bowl near the front door as Clary nodded, screwing on the lid of her water bottle before placing it in his bag.

"We'll be back later, Si." Clary spoke to the slumped figure on the sofa, which appeared to have not moved an inch. "We might go to Taki's for food after the practice is over, so I'll text you the details." Simon seemed to perk up at the mention of food and looked over at the redhead with a nod and a smile. She blew him a kiss and he pretended to catch it with a grin, before she turned on her heels and headed out the door.

She collided with something hard as soon as she heard the door click shut behind her, and she let out a small yelp of surprise. She looked up to see Jonathan stood still in front of the door, facing the hallway. "Jonathan, what is i-" Clary began, working her way around his towering figure to follow his gaze.

There, were three new faces, two with a smile and one turned slightly away from the siblings. They each carried a couple bags and suitcases, and it was then that Clary knew they were their new neighbours who would be occupying the apartment across the hall. She smiled up at the three towering figures, feeling oddly short in the new group.

"Clare, this is Isabelle," the tall, painstakingly beautiful girl gave a small nod towards her, "her brother Alec," the boy with the matching brown hair wiggled his fingers with a smile, "and their brother Jace." The blond - the only one who looked oddly out of place - looked up at the sound of his name. His eyes seemed to rake Clary up and down, and suddenly she couldn't help but feel self conscious.

"This is my sister, Clary." Jonathan introduced to the group, but she was too aware of the blond's eyes burning into her to notice much else. The blond - Jace - scoffed, catching everybody's attention.

"Sister? She's short and freckly, you're tall and blond. Either you're lying to us or your mother cheated." He smirked, skirting his eyes momentarily away from Clary to look pointedly at Jonathan, before pulling them back to her.

Clary rolled her eyes, a huff spilling from her lips. They'd been told time and time again that they looked nothing alike - that Jonathan was the embodiment of a God, while Clary was more of the runt of a family of pixies.

"You can talk." She snarled at the blond with an arched eyebrow, and he looked at her with a confused expression. "How come Isabelle and Alec look like the exact same person, and you look like some Aryan descendant?" The smirk was back on his lips, and he shook his head slightly at the girl.

"First off, my eyes are gold - not blue." He had come forward slightly at one point during their talking, and was positioned at the front of the trio, looking down at the redhead. "Secondly, I'm their adopted brother. What's your excuse?"

Clary bit the inside of her cheek hesitantly as she looked up at him, feeling slightly foolish for challenging him on such a childish topic. "I look like our mom, he looks like our dad." She shrugged in defeat as she explained the reasoning behind their different appearances.

It was true. Although their father had grown older and lost most of his youthful glow, there was no denying that Jonathan looked exactly like he did as a young adult. The same blond hair, the angelic bone structure with the capabilities to cut a man. Clary, on the other hand, had half the beauty her mother had. She inherited the impossibly wild red head of hair, as well as the small figure. However her mother had been much more womanly in her stature and beauty, even from a young age, while Clary was sure she'd forever look like a prepubescent girl.

The boy looked her up and down one final time with a nod, his lips pursed thoughtfully. "Figures."

Clary was too slow on questioning what he meant by that, since Jonathan stepped in front before she could. "Well, it was great meeting you all, but I have to get to practice." He lifted his lacrosse stick pointedly, catching the blond boy's attention.

"You play lacrosse?"

"Yeah."

"What team?"

"Shadowhunters - college league for The Titans." Jonathan grinned at Jace, seeming to have found something to bond over with him. "They sponsor NYU, so I got in through that." Jace seemed to be intrigued at that and paused for a second, as if contemplating something.

"Would you mind if we tagged along?" The raven-haired girl piped up from behind, maneuvering her way to stand at his side. "We're all beginning at NYU next week, so it would be nice to meet some new people here. Right?" She looked up to the two boys with a hint of menace in her eyes, despite her coy smile. Alec nodded, patting Jace on the back.

"Sounds cool. You can keep Clary company." Jonathan beamed down at his little sister, earning a sarcastic eyeroll from her.

Ten minutes later, Clary found herself in the passenger seat of her brother's car with him in the drivers seat. Their new three neighbours were in the car behind them, having agreed they'd just follow Jonathan's car to the stadium.

"What do you think of them?" Jonathan asked as he revved up the engine, driving away from the sidewalk. "They seem nice enough."

Clary shrugged, resting her elbow on the edge of the window and looking out absentmindedly. "I like Isabelle. She seems like a cool gal. I can see us being friends."

"What about the blond one? Jace?" He glanced over at his sister with a skeptical expression, his eyes narrowing with an unreadable intent behind them.

"He's an asshole." She barked definitely, having no other words to describe him. She heard her brother scoff from besides her, and she looked over at him with a confused expression. "What?"

"Nothing!" He said defensively, his eyes focusing ahead at the road. "It's just a little harsh, don't you think? You barely know the guy."

"Oh, stop butt kissing. You just want to get into Isabelle's pants."

* * *

 _Yes, Jonathan is nice in this story, don't give me no sass or no lip, boi. This is my interpretation of the character, and I hope you still like it._


	3. Keep Your Friends Close

**Chapter Three - Intel**

 _Thank you so much for almost 200 views in a little over a week. You guys are really what helps keep me motivated to write more._

 _Chapter Song;_

 _Kids in the Dark - All Time Low_

* * *

"Wanna tell me why we're going to some shitty little college lacrosse practice session?" The bored voice belonging to Jace came from the back of the car, causing Isabelle - who was sat in shotgun - to roll her eyes.

She looked back at him with an incredulous glare, as if the situation was obvious. "Those two are our clients, and it's our job to look after them. We can't exactly do that if we don't infiltrate them and their lives." Her tone of voice was irritated, which Jace couldn't help but smirk at. He loved annoying her, especially since she was so easy to rile up. "We go to this practice, we get the opportunity to get to know both Clary and Jonathan more, as well as hopefully seeing and meeting their friends. Now, get your filthy shoes off my brothers' car." She slapped a hand down on his boot, which he had lazily rested on the middle compartment between the front two seats. He scowled at the brown-haired girl, before reluctantly fulfilling her request by placing his foot on the floor.

Jace leaned forwards in his seat, having forgone putting on a seat belt, resting his forearms on either of the seats in front. "I thought you were just the overseer of this operation, anyway?" He directed towards Isabelle. "Clarissa is my client, and Jonathan is Alec's." He nodded his head to the silent brother whom was driving, focusing on keeping up with the Morgenstern's in front.

"Yes, you're right." Isabelle nodded hesitantly, knowing any form of compliments towards Jace would only inflate his ego. "But it is also my job in this operation to make sure you two do _yours_ correctly." She turned her head to face the blond's peeking through the gap, raising an eyebrow. "Is there a problem with that?"

Jace raised his hands in a motion of surrender, slowly backing up before slouching in his seat once again. "No, Ma'am. Sorry for asking." He let out a sigh as he folded his arms, letting his head lazily lounge to the side as he watched the passing surroundings out the window.

* * *

"You know, you don't have to act like the tough guy all the time, Jonathan." Clary was scolding her older brother as she stepped out of his car, closing the door behind her. "Seb's a good guy. He's your best friend, for Christ's sake. There's no need to be on edge all the time when I'm with him."

Jonathan quickly stopped in his stride and turned to face Clary, his expression darker than she would have liked. She halted immediately as he held out a nagging finger towards her. "No, you listen, Clarissa. You're my little sister, and it is my _job_ to protect you. Sebastian is my best friend, you're right, which means I know what he's like. And I know what he's capable of doing to you."

"Jonathan-" she took a step forwards, no longer scared of her brother, and wrapped a tiny hand around his still-pointing finger. "I understand that. But I'm a big girl. I'm eighteen, and I can protect myself. Just lay off him a little, okay?" She looked up at him through her lashes, purposefully pouting her lips a little and opening her eyes wider in attempts to convince him. He stared down at her with searching eyes, looking quickly between hers.

They stood like that for a few moments, before he sighed in defeat, retracting his hand from her grip. "Fine. But if he does absolutely _anything_ to hurt you, you tell me right away. Got it?" Clary let out a short huff of frustration at her brothers insistence, but nodded nonetheless. This seemed to comfort him, since he wrapped his unoccupied arm around her and pulled her in for a warm embrace. She wrapped her own small arms around his bulkier torso, burying her face into his chest and smelling the freshness of his shirt.

"Hey, Iz. Why don't you hug me like that?" A cocky voice sounded from near them, causing the siblings to separate and look in the direction of where it came from. They saw Jace, Isabelle, and Alec all approaching them, leaving behind a fancy black car which was parked several spaces down from Jonathan's.

Isabelle scowled towards her adoptive brother, elbowing him in his side as she spoke. "Maybe because you're an arrogant jerk who doesn't deserve a hug." Jace pouted dramatically, forcing a small giggle from Clary's lips. She quickly hid her mouth with her hand in hopes that he didn't catch it, but the glint in his eyes and the appearance of a smirk on his lips proved her wrong. Her cheeks flushed a gentle pink as she looked away, clearing her throat in an attempt to regather her thoughts.

She looked up at her brother with a small smile, looping her arm through his. "Isn't coach expecting you?" She asked pointedly, wanting to leave the previous moment behind and get out of that parking lot before anything else happened. He nodded, patting her hand before the group headed towards the entrance to the pitch.

Clary could hear the trio of siblings muttering behind them as she stalked ahead with her brother, though tried her best to tune them out and focus on the ever-growing patch of green in front of her. The Pitch.

"Jonathan!" A husky voice caught her attention once they stepped onto the pitch, causing the entire group to look over to where the voice had come from. Clary had difficulty hiding the grin on her lips as she saw who it was, his black hair giving her a sense of familiarity.

Jonathan slipped his arm out of the grasp of his sister as he, too, beamed at the boy, stepping forwards to pull him into a brotherly embrace. "Verlac, surprised to see you on your feet. Thought you'd be out cold after all that drinking last night." He smirked as he pulled away, clapping Sebastian on the shoulder before dropping his arm to his side.

Sebastian rolled his eyes, a toothy grin plastered on his lips as he looked at his best friend. "You know me, always find a way to bounce back." His eyes not-so-subtly shifted to the short redhead at his side, giving her a mischievous wink. "Surprised to see you here, Clarissa. Thought lacrosse wasn't your shtick?" His words were accusatory, though his tone was more sly.

Clary shrugged, a small smile twitching at the corners of her lips. "Had nothing better to do." She shrugged truthfully, looking up into his dark eyes.

He smirked down at her for an immeasurable amount of time before Jonathan cleared his throat suggestively. "If you two are done eyefucking," he stepped to the side, displaying Alec, Jace, and Isabelle to Sebastian. "These are our new neighbours." He introduced them generally, before stating their names.

Sebastian held out his hand for each of them to shake with a polite smile, Jace being last. He simply stared at his hand, arms folded, a brooding expression folding across his brows. Seb's expression dropped, and then his hand, letting out a low whistle. "Not a handshake type of guy. Got it."

"Morgenstern, Verlac! Get your asses over here before I bench you at Saturday's game." The growling voice of the team's coach shouted for the boys across the field, his voice gravelly from the decades of smoke inhalation.

Jonathan was the first to disappear, having to put on his lacrosse gear. Seb was already suitably dressed, so didn't have to rush. As soon as her brother was out of the way, he grabbed Clary by the hips and pulled her body flush against his, smirking deviously down at her before capturing her lips with his own.

His lips were soft and warm, though his actions were rough and fiery. Clary wrapped one arm around his neck, lifting herself up onto her tip toes, the other snaking up to cup his cheek. She leaned into him as she responded enthusiastically to his kiss, welcoming his tongue inside her mouth.

Seb's hands began skirting dangerously down from her hips, creeping into the regions off her ass. Clary's hands slipped down to his chest as soon as she felt his on her ass, shoving him away forcefully breaking the kiss. Her breath was heavy and uneven, and his eyes were dark with disappointment as he looked down at her.

"Seb," she began to scold him for overstepping her very clear boundaries, before he released her from his grip and stalked towards where the rest of the team were gathering on the other side of the field. Clary pulled on the sleeves of her cardigan, adding to the fray from previous nervous outbursts, before the sudden overwhelming feeling that someone was watching her washed over her.

She spun around to her three new acquaintances, blushing with embarrassment as she came face to face with them; Alec was looking politely to the ground as he kicked a stone, Isabelle smiled at her apologetically, while Jace looked a mix between confused and furious.

"I, uh," Clary stammered, still pulling at the strands of fabric on her cardigan sleeves, looking between the three. "Sorry you had to see that. He's not- he's not usually like that." She tried to reconcile the situation with a forced smile, stepping away to lead them to the bleachers.

"You sure about that?" It was Jace who answered behind her, and she could hear the frustration in his voice. "I'm sure Jonathan wouldn't be too happy to see if that's how he treated his little sister."

"Please-" Clary turned around abruptly to face them with a raised hand, a pained expression crossing her face. She sighed, sitting down on the bleachers while wringing her hands in her lap. "Just don't say anything to Jonathan. It's not what it looked like." Jace didn't seem convinced, stepping over the bench to sit a level up from Clary, slightly to her side. Isabelle crossed in front of Clary, squeezing her knee comfortingly as she passed before sitting down, while Alec sat on the bench in front with his body turned up to them.

"So, where you guys from?" Clary offered up a change of conversation as she lowered her bag to rest against her feet, turning to the trio with a happier expression.

"New York, still." Isabelle beamed with a chipper expression, which seemed to be contagious as Clary herself felt instantly better. "We used to live in Brooklyn with our parents, but decided we needed a little more independence. NYU seemed like the perfect opportunity."

Clary nodded in understanding as she listened to the raven-haired girl, relating to the want of independence. She remembered vividly the day she moved out from her parents house - the day after she turned 18.

 _"Clarissa, you are being unreasonable." Her father had said, his voice disappointing and brooding. He was leaning against the door frame of her bedroom, arms folded as he watched her pack a suitcase. Clothes were flying everywhere, her room was a state, and her movements were sporadic and frantic as she danced from one side of the room to another in an organised chaos._

 _"What's unreasonable, father," she spat the word out as she jammed a couple of sweaters into her suitcase, not bothering with tidiness due to her anger. "Is that you think you can control me, despite the fact I am an adult now."_

 _"Clarissa, please, you turned eighteen yesterday. Forgive me if I am not trusting of you decisions as an 'adult'."_

 _"My name is Clary!" She practically screamed at him, turning abruptly on her heels to glare at him in the doorway. "I have asked you for years to call me Clary, and yet you disrespect my wishes and continue to call me Clarissa. I am not Clarissa Morgenstern, I am Clary Fairchild. Your ignorance to that fact is reason enough for my current actions." She was trying to speak diplomatically to her father, despite her rage. Casual talk never got anybody anywhere with Valentine Morgenstern, and she knew that._

 _She turned to her suitcase and pulled over the top as her father spoke, struggling to zip it up over the clothes that were threatening to spill over the top. "Clarissa, I have given you everything you have ever wanted ever since you were a child. I have treated you nothing less than a Princess, and yet this is how you treat me, in my own home."_

 _"Nothing less than a Princess?" She scoffed as she finally finished with the zip, her head reeling. Her eyes widened in shock at his words, hands going to grab at the head at her scalp. He was delusional. "I-I have no words." She stammered, shaking her head as she crossed the bedroom once again to grab the last of her arts supplies and shoving it into a duffel bag._

 _"What're you going to do when you leave?" The venom was beginning to seep into his voice as he glowered at his daughter, his hands balling into fists against his chest. "Do a pathetic drawing class? Move in with your brother? He won't be able to give you what I can. He's a coward, just like your mother."_

 _Clary dropped the suitcase to the floor and pulled up the handle, holstering the duffel bag and her casual bag across her shoulder. "Don't you dare talk about either of them like that. They are both better people than you will ever be." She made her way across the bedroom to the door, being met with his wide stance blocking the entire space. She looked up at him fire in her eyes, no trace of love in her expression. "Get out of my way."_

 _He stared his daughter down for almost a solid minute, before eventually giving in and stepping to the side to allow her to pass. She lugged the suitcase along the floor as she walked to the stairs, struggling to carry it down them as well as the two bags on her shoulder. She knew her father was looking down at her with disgust and pity, but she also knew this was the only way she could be free of his rule._

 _"You'll regret this, Clarissa." He mocked from the top of the stairs once she reached the front door, making her grip the door handle tighter. He was hoping she would give up this charade and unpack her stuff, but she would never give into what he wanted._

 _Without uttering another word, Clary threw open the door and stalked away, leaving it wide open so that her father could see her go forever._

* * *

The next two hours passed without even a second thought, and Clary found that she was genuinely enjoying the atmosphere surrounding her as she spoke to Isabelle, and occasionally Alec. Jace barely uttered a word, the brooding expression permanently plastering his face as he scowled at the players on the field. Or rather one particular player.

"We should totally throw a party together this weekend. After the big game." Isabelle squealed delightfully, gripping Clary's arm with excitement. "I want to invite anyone. Though, I don't know a lot of people. You and Jonathan can invite all your friends! The more the merrier!"

"I don't know if-" Clary began, though was immediately interrupted by more party-planning from Isabelle.

"Do you know if there are any clubs we can hire out for the night? A professional bar would be amazing. Nobody would have to worry about money, or drinks, or hosting. We could all just enjoy ourselves!"

"A club?" Jonathan seemed to appear out of nowhere, throwing his lacrosse jersey over his shoulder as he approached. "Pandemonium down the road is fantastic. Clary's friends with the owner's son, so I'm sure she could get us in." Clary scowled at her brother at the mention of her connections, not liking it when she used people for her own gains.

The suggestion of Pandemonium seemed to lift Izzy's excitement levels even further, if that was even possible, and she jumped about in her seat with a glint in her eyes as she looked at Clary. "Could you, Clary? I would owe you my life. Please, please, please?" She fluttered her fantastically long lashes at her with puppy dog eyes, and Clary found herself giving in with much reluctance.

"Fine," she sighed with a roll of her eyes, resulting in a screaming Isabelle echoing in her ear. She flinched away with a gasp, covering her ear as she looked up at the now standing girl. She was blathering on to the rest of the group - since Sebastian had also seemed to have joined them - about her plans for the party, though Clary couldn't hear a word through being temporarily deaf in one ear.

"Why don't we discuss this more over lunch at Taki's? Jordan told me that our Law lesson was cancelled so I don't start for another three hours." Jonathan was the one to break the high-pitched excitement of Izzy, and Clary couldn't be more thankful of his timing. She scooped up her bag onto her shoulder and jumped up enthusiastically, opening her mouth to speak.

"Sounds great." Seb beat her to it, and she looked at him in disbelief. She wasn't entirely sure if she wanted him there, which was a first for Clary. Usually she loved when she and her friends hung out with Seb, but there seemed to be a distressing aura in the air between him and the new three people in there group. She swallowed her pride with a nod, before the entire group set out to leave the pitch.


	4. And Your Enemies Closer

**Chapter Four - Taki's Diner**

 _Chapter Song;_

 _Ten Twenty Ten - Generationals_

* * *

"I swear, Coach was off his meds or something this practice." Sebastian was complaining from the backseat as they drove the short trip to Taki's. Clary sat in the drivers seat with one leg crossed over the other, resting her elbow on the window as she looked out the window. She was half listening to Seb as he ranted, though the other part of her mind was consumed by a certain blond.

She couldn't seem to figure him quite out, which was distressing her greatly. Usually she was a fantastic judge of character, being able to sense what people were thinking and what their intentions were. With Jace, it was like there was an invisible barricade surrounding him, blocking the real him off from the rest of the world. He was unreadable, mysterious, yet utterly fascinating.

"Are you paying attention?" A growl-like voice pulled Clary from her day dream, and she shook her head slightly as she was brought back to earth. Turning to the side, she saw Sebastian looking at her with a clenched jaw and furrowed eyebrows. "You didn't hear a word I just said, did you?" He was angry, and his harsh tone made her flinch back slightly.

"Hey, Seb, _back off_." Jonathan's voice was stern as he glared at his friend through the rear-view mirror until Sebastian slumped back in his seat. Jonathan glanced to the side at his sister, hesitantly resting a hand on her knee. "You alright?" He checked, speaking low enough so their passenger in the back seat couldn't hear. Clary took in a deep breath as she looked between her brother and her... friend... before nodding with a forced smile.

Clary's friend, Magnus Bane, was waiting outside Taki's once they pulled up outside the diner. She had texted him asking if he wanted to come for lunch once they left the pitch, and he happily agreed. Simon was supposed to meet them there as well, though she couldn't see him quite yet.

Clary was the first out of the car once it was brought to a halt, eager to talk to her friend after not seeing him for quite a length of time. His cat-like eyes gleamed upon seeing the short red-head, and he outstretched his arms invitingly. As soon as she wrapped her small arms around his broad shoulders, she felt herself being high off the ground without a moments notice. She squealed into his chest as he spun them around once, twice, before placing her back on the ground.

"That was quite a 'hello'." She teased, her arms still wrapped around the back of his neck. He grinned down at her, silently reveling at their height difference - as he so frequently did. Clary certainly was one of the shortest people he had ever had the privilege of meeting.

"Well, I can't give my little biscuit a half-assed greeting, can I?" He winked playfully at her as they released each other from their embrace, footsteps behind them catching their attention.

Jace, Isabelle, and Alec had arrived at that point, and were steadily making their way up the sidewalk to where the rest of the group were. Magnus' attention seemed to be solely focused on one person, and his head was tilted curiously to the side. "And who might _you_ be?" He purred, eyes skirting the height of the blue-eyed boy.

Alec seemed to be slightly taken aback by his forwardness, his mouth opened as if to say something despite the lack of words. Magnus smirked at the boy as he gave him one last glance over before extending his hand. "Magnus Bane of Brooklyn. I'm a close friend of Clary's." Alec shook his hand sceptically, all the while the smirk never left Magnus' face.

"Pleasure to meet a friend of Clary's." Isabelle spoke on behalf of her brother, shaking his hand as well. "I'm Isabelle, and this is my brother Alec."

"The pleasure is all mine." His eyes darted back to Alec as a subtle expression of lust came over his features. Clary, knowing him all too well, rolled her eyes dramatically. She linked her arm with Magnus', pulling his attention to her.

"Let's not scare the new friends, shall we?" Her tone was somewhat condescending as she looked up at the older man, and he pouted playfully at her. She looked up at him with a sort of 'really?' expression, until he finally gave up the act.

"We just forgetting that I exist?" Jace teased arrogantly, looking between each face in the group.

Magnus gave him a glance over as he did with Alec, though it lasted nowhere near as long, before extending his hand to him. "Magnus Ba-" he began to introduce himself politely again, but Jace cut him off with a wave of his hand.

"Magnus Bane of Brooklyn, yeah, yeah. I heard you the first time, _Sparkles._ " He was completely dismissive of his introduction, which took Magnus aback slightly. He looked to Clary questioningly, who gave him an unhelpful shrug. "I'm Jace Herondale, also of Brooklyn." His cocky grinned matched his tone of voice, earning him a heavy sigh from Isabelle.

"Well, now that we're all caught up." Jonathan clapped his hands together to call the attention of the entire group, who were blocking the pavement. Several angry, fast-walking businessman had grumbled in their direction as they passed, but nobody had taken any notice. "Shall we go in? I'm starving."

Everyone mumbled in agreement as they moved as a flock towards the door, before Clary stopped them in their tracks. "What about Simon? He was supposed to meet us here."

"Just text him and tell him we'll be inside." Jonathan suggested, and she nodded as they headed into the diner.

The place was relatively empty for lunch time, with only a couple of regulars spotted around the place. There was a large, dark skinned man slugged over the bar near the middle of the room, a young couple chatting enthusiastically by the window, with the usual waitress skirting around the place as she cleaned up tables. She looked up as the group entered, a coy smile creeping onto her face. Her eye caught Jonathan's, who winked playfully at her. The blonde-haired girl giggled obnoxiously, turning on her heels before heading into the kitchen.

The group made their way over to the back of the diner where the larger booths were, figuring it would be the only table big enough to fit all of them. Clary slid in first on one side, followed by Sebastian, Jonathan, and Isabelle. Jace was the first to sit on the opposing side, then Alec, then Magnus. Magnus would have been the first person, with Alec being last, if it wasn't for the fact he made a deal out of wanting to sit next to the "blue-eyed angel."

The waitress who Jonathan previously flirted with appeared at the head of the table, noticeably flicking her luscious blonde hair over her shoulder with a sultry smile towards most of the boys. She cleared her throat in order to get everybody's attention, her hands poised with paper and pad to take down everybody's order.

"Afternoon, Kaelie." Jonathan charmed her, laying it on thick. Clary rolled her eyes at her brothers actions as she felt somebody gently kick her foot. She looked up at the three boys sat across from her, Alec catching her attention first. He nodded his head subtly to gesture towards Magnus, and so she moved her gaze there. He dramatically rolled his eyes as well, moving his head at the same time, before making a gagging motion. Clary giggled quietly to herself, resting an elbow on the table so she could cover her mouth. Her noises seemed to catch Jonathan's attention, and he cut off his flirting to cast her a suspicious look. She cleared her throat awkwardly, avoiding his gaze.

"I take it you don't like her." It was a statement more than it was a question, and she was surprised to hear Jace speaking directly to her. His voice was low though not quite a whisper. It was loud enough for maybe Alec and Sebastian to hear, but not so loud that Kaelie could hear. She looked up to see him, hands folded on the table, eyes completely focused on her.

Clary glanced to the side to make sure nobody was blatantly listening to them, before leaning towards him slightly. "She's practically slept with every man between the ages of eighteen and twenty five in this part of the borough. Forgive me if I don't trust my brother's taste in women."

Jace laughed once at that, though it was more of a burst of air coming through his noise. His lips were turned up, and Clary couldn't help but notice it was the first time he'd actually smiled since they met that morning. It suited him, she thought. It made him look even more attractive, if that was even possible.

"Is she his typical type?" He inquired, his lips turned back down in a more neutral expression, though a gleam still remained in his eyes. She pursed her lips thoughtfully for a moment, shrugging halfheartedly.

"He doesn't really have a type. He's never had a girlfriend. Only flings." She was openly truthful about Jonathan's love life, and yet she didn't have a second thought on spilling it. It wasn't really her place to say what her brother did in his spare time, but there was something about Jace that made her trust him. She wasn't wary like she was with most new people, but felt rather at home speaking to him. "What about you? Is she _your_ type?"

The smirk was back on his lips, and he dropped his head to look at the table for a moment. He looked back up at her with a thoughtful expression, and she couldn't help but notice how his eyes darted across every inch of her. "Let's just say I've recently found a preference for redheads."

"Clary-" Sebastian interjected before she even had an opportunity to answer him, his voice sounding strained. Her gaze lingered on Jace for a moment before she reluctantly tore it away to look at Seb. He wasn't looking at her, and just nodded towards Kaelie. "Your turn to order."

"Oh, right." She hadn't even opened the menu, ordering the same thing every time she visited. "Butterfly chicken burger with extra fries, please. And a vanilla milkshake." The waitress barely seemed to acknowledge her as she wrote down the order on her pad of paper, before fluttering her eyes towards Jace.

"And you, handsome?" Her high pitched voice was laced with poorly disguised lust, and she was subtly swinging her body from side to side. He glanced down at his menu for a split second, before up at her.

"Bacon burger with extra fries, and a side of mixed dips. I'd also like a-" he was about to continue with his order when a barrel of limbs and hair noisily made their way into the booth, sitting next to Magnus with a huff. It was Simon, and he looked like he had just ran a marathon with the state of his hair and his ragged breathing.

"Sorry I'm late." He flashed a toothy grin to everyone else on the table, doing a mock-salute to Clary at the other end. He cleared his throat before waving two fingers to Kaelie. "Club sandwich, extra chips, no tomatoes, and a cup of coffee." Kaelie seemed somewhat confused at the interruption of orders, though wrote it down nonetheless.

"As I was saying," Jace growled, glaring at the newcomer at the end of the table. Simon looked up at him, confused, before realising there were two other new people at the table. "I'd also like a chocolate milkshake, and a large portion of onion rings to share with Red over here." He pointed over to Clary, who sat up with confusion.

She looked at Jace with a curiously tilted head as Kaelie nodded, before walking off to start the orders. "What makes you think I like onion rings?" She challenged, seeing him look up at her while biting his lower lip.

"Call it a hunch."

* * *

Miraculously, Jace's hunch was right - Clary _loved_ onion rings. She found herself tucking into them along with Jace, a pleasant conversation flowing between the pair. He seemed to be warming up to her, as she was him, though was cold when it came to several others; namely, Sebastian and Simon.

"I seem to recall you blatantly telling all of us not to worry, you little snake." Isabelle was laughing at Jace, pointing a fry in his direction. "Mom was pissed when she saw the mess we made. Solo cups everywhere, Alec passed out on the living room table, yo-"

"I was the only one awake and sober enough at 8 in the morning, thank you very much." Jace flicked a bit of lettuce at her from across the table, causing her to yelp out in surprise. She took a baby tomato off from her plate and threw it in his direction, hitting him square in the forehead. She grinned at him with her bottom lip between her teeth, a devilish look across her face. Jace shook his head at her as he fought back a grin, picking up a baby tomato of his own.

"Now, now, children." Alec picked the garnish from his hands quickly and swiftly, and it was as if he had never threatened his adopted sister with a fruit. He turned to Alec with furrowed brows, clearly upset his fun was ruined. Clary was grinning throughout the whole ordeal, a giggle escaping past her lips as she saw Jace's playful expression.

He turned to face her with an arched brow, and she quickly looked away with a faded blush creeping up her cheeks. Sebastian then leaned down to whisper something in her ear, which immediately wiped any sort of enjoyment from her face. Jace's expression dropped at this, and he let out a frustrated sigh as he turned his gaze to Sebastian.

"So, Sebastian." The lacrosse player slowly turned his head from Clary's direction to his, clearly unimpressed by the blond. "How long have you and Clary been dating for?"

This question clearly caught the redhead by surprise, as she seemed to choke on the milkshake she had just taken a sip of. She grabbed a napkin from besides her and coughed into it, wiping her mouth quickly. "We're not-"

"Why? Jealous?" Sebastian arched a cocky eyebrow as he challenged Jace, his hands folded in front of him. Jace matched his stance confidentially, his gaze never leaving his opponents.

"Sebastian-"

"As a matter of fact, I am." Jace interrupted Jonathan's pleas to his best friend with a neutral expression, and he saw the anguish flash across Sebastian's face at that comment. "How did a beautiful young girl such as Clary get stuck with an obnoxious jerk like you?"

"Jace-"

"You wanna take this outside, Blondie?" Sebastian challenged with a growl, and Jace lifted a hand to silence Alec. He could see Sebastian's fists clenching the edge of the table, his knuckles almost turning white from the pressure. Jace scoffed at him.

"Please, you wouldn't last five seconds."

"Then let's go!" Everyone was sure Sebastian would have flipped the table over if it wasn't for the small fact that it was safely nailed to the ground. His face was bright red with anger, and Jace watched with thrill as his left eye began to twitch.

He was just about to make another sarcastic remark that was sure to send him off the edge when he was interrupted by a surprisingly powerful voice.

"Enough, both of you!" Clary slammed her hands down on the table pointedly, clattering all of the items on it. She was sure the entire diner was looking in their direction, but she didn't care. She turned her head slightly to face Sebastian, lowering her voice. "Can I talk to you? _Alone_?"

Isabelle and Jonathan scooted out from the booth to allow Sebastian and Clary out, before sliding back into their seat. Sebastian stood awkwardly at the edge of the table, still glaring at Jace, while Clary barreled past him towards the exit in a flurry of red. With one final huff, Sebastian turned on his heels to follow her out the door.

* * *

Clary made her way out of the diner faster than she even realised she could move, the anger fueling her adrenaline as she stalked down the side alley besides it. She paced up and down several times as she waited for Sebastian to emerge, letting out heavy breaths in an attempt to cool her anger.

As soon as she saw him round the corner, she turned abruptly to face him. "What the hell is your deal? Why did you think it was okay to start on him like that?"

" _Me_?" Sebastian stared at her with an incredulous look, and she stood there with her arms sternly folded. " _He_ was the one who started. Talking to you like you were the best of friends, cracking jokes, making you laugh. _Flirting_ with you." He growled out the last sentence as he stepped towards her, his hands clenching into fists at his side once again.

Clary let out a scoff in disbelief, her mouth left wide open in an 'O' shape as she stared at him in shock. "We've barely known each other four hours, Sebastian. He was _not_ flirting with me."

"Spare me the pity." He spat out, disgust consuming his face as he glared down at her. "I saw the way he looked at you - a gleam in his eye. I saw you blush."

"I did not blush, Seb-" she was in the middle of protesting when her breath was immediately cut short, her entire body slamming up against the brick wall behind her. Sebastian's hand was placed firmly around her throat, easily lifting her a foot off the ground. She clutched at his wrists desperately, choking as she attempted to lessen his grip.

He crushed himself incredibly close to her, their entire bodies flushed together. Sebastian's nose was next to hers, and she tried to flinch away but was met only with a wall. His voice was venomous and quiet, scaring her to the core. "Don't you dare lie to me, Clarissa. I saw you. Why do you think I said what I said back there in the diner? Why I whispered that in your ear?" She continued to fight against him, but she knew it was completely useless. Tears begun streaming down her face, and she prayed he would let her go soon. If he didn't, she was sure she would die.

"You are _mine_ , Clarissa." He growled in her face, teeth bared. "And don't you forget that."

He dropped her to the floor and she gasped in an attempt to get as much air in her lungs as possible, clutching at her chest. She was sat down on the filthy concrete, crouched over her knees as she heaved heavy breaths to make up for the moments she had lost. Sebastian looked down at her with disgust, before making his way out of the alley.

Clary continued to sob, clutching her chest, unable to move. A figure made its presence clear as they stood in front of her, all she could see being black boots. She couldn't bring herself to look up who it was through fear of it being Sebastian back to teach her another lesson. She wrapped her arms around her chest protectively as they bent down, pulling her gently into their embrace.


	5. From a State of Catatonic Sleep

**Chapter Five - State of Shock**

 _Chapter Song;_

 _Blind Faith - Def Leppard_

* * *

The text Jace had sent both Isabelle and Alec was simple, though he hoped there was enough urgency in it for them to act quickly.

 _Need help. Alley next to Taki's. Bring keys._

Clary was sat on the floor with her knees brought tightly to her chest, arms wrapped securely around her legs, with her face buried into her lap. She had stopped sobbing shortly after Jace arrived, but he sensed that was due to his own actions. When he first arrived he tried to reach out and comfort her, check she was okay, but she had screamed and lashed out against him as soon as he put his hands on her shoulders. He jumped back instantly to respect her space, but to also protect himself from getting hit by her. After that she had curled up into her current position, and had remained that way for at least the past two minutes.

Now, Jace was squatting down in front of her with his balance on the balls of his feet. He was a respectable distance from her, not wanting to panic her again, but was close enough so that he could act quickly if she did anything drastic.

Jace heard Isabelle before he saw her, and she appeared to be complaining already without even seeing the situation. "This better be good, Jace. I was just about to-" her power stride was halted as soon as she set sight on Clary's hunched figure, and she was immediately by her side. A hand outstretched towards her shoulder, but Jace was quick enough to wrap his hand around her wrist before she could touch her. "Don't. She's in shock. She tried hitting me in the face when I tried to check on her."

"That's because you're a jerk." She snapped at him, leaving him with a confused expression on his face. She was acting like _he_ did this to her, which couldn't be further from the truth. Izzy moved her hand to Clary's shoulder once again, slower this time, and called to her in a soft voice. "Clary, it's Isabelle. I'm not gonna hurt you, okay?" She never replied except for the slight flinch when Isabelle eventually placed her hand on her. Jace let out a breath he didn't realise he had been holding in, thankful she hadn't freaked out like before.

"Can you tell me what happened, Clary?" Izzy's voice was quiet and full of concern, and Jace could tell she was being completely genuine. Despite only knowing her for a short time, she still felt compassion towards her. Isabelle felt compassion towards everyone she met, which was more than Jace could say about himself.

Clary didn't speak, nor make any impression that she would answer her question any time soon. Not a shake of her head, a shrug of her shoulders. Nothing. Isabelle turned to Jace with her eyebrows furrowed questioningly, since he was the only other person she could ask. "What happened to her, Jace?"

He shook his head and pressed his lips into a tight line, looking at Clary sympathetically before at his sister. "I don't know. All I know is that her scum of a boyfriend had something to do with it."

"Sebastian?" Isabelle narrowed her eyes in confusion, and Jace nodded. "He came back into the diner right when you texted. Why would he do something to hurt her?"

"Beats me, Iz. All I know is that Sebastian was _pissed,_ so I came out to check everything was okay. As soon as I rounded the corner, he was storming out of the alley while Clary was left crumpled on the ground."

Isabelle was about to say something else when movement caught both their eyes, and they turned to see Clary slowly unfolding from her position. She straightened her legs out slowly and hugged her arms to her chest in a criss-cross position. Jace noticed her fingers were clenched around the collar of her shirt, and her chin was tucked to rest on top of them, hiding her neck. Her face was almost expressionless if it wasn't for the slight downwards slant to her eyes, causing her to look absolutely pitiful. Her eyes were bloodshot, and there were tear streaks staining her cheeks.

Izzy offered her a gentle smile, while Jace rested there and looked at her rather awkwardly. He was never very good in situations like these, so he left most of the consoling to Isabelle.

"Are you alright, Clary?" Stupid question, Jace thought as he rolled his eyes. Does it look like she's okay? The small shake of Clary's head confirmed that, and Jace had to hold back a scoff.

"We're gonna take you home, okay?" Clary nodded at that, and Isabelle rose to her feet before turning to face Jace. "I'm not gonna be strong enough to pick her up, so it's gonna have to be you."

"Didn't I tell you how she tried to punch me when I touched her before?" Jace looked up at her with disbelief. "There's no way she's gonna let me pick her up."

" _Jace,"_ it felt slightly stupid to be bickering about Clary right in front of her, calling her 'her', but she didn't seem to be making any objections to it. Jace rolled his eyes with a sigh, giving a reluctant "fine".

Isabelle left to go open the doors to Alec's car while Jace focused his attention on Clary. She looked tired, her eyes half closed, and was staring off at the ground. "Clary." Jace's voice was more stern than Isabelle's had been, but he tried his best to keep it sympathetic. "I'm gonna help you stand up. Do you think you can _not_ hit me this time? And try to walk?"

Clary didn't make a sarcastic remark at that, instead just moving her hands down to the ground to push herself up. Jace reached down to place his hands under her arms, gently helping her to her feet. He was thankful she made no resistance to his touch this time, and even placed her own hands on his shoulders to help balance herself. He lowered his hands to her waist as she steadied herself, ducking his head down to try and look her in the eye for reassurance. She was still looking away at the ground, which wasn't helping anybody.

"I'm gonna let go of you now, Clary. Okay? See if you're strong enough to walk." He waited for her nod of confirmation before he moved away, slowly releasing his grip on her. She took a deep breath before taking a step forwards towards the end of the alley. Jace let his shoulders relax back slightly, relieved she wasn't rendered completely immobile.

He walked slowly besides her with one arm braced behind her back and the other at her side as she took another shaky step. She let out a strained gasp as her legs gave way underneath her, though Jace was quick to act. One arm securely caught her back while the other captured behind her knees, swiftly scooping her up to hold her bridal-style before any part of her could hit the ground.

She wrapped one arm around the back of his neck and covered her mouth with the other as she coughed into it, the coughs sounding nasty and painful. He heard her whimper as he walked them both to the car, and he couldn't help but wonder exactly what had happened before he got to the alley. Clary really was going into a state of shock, and he wasn't sure if she would be mentally okay for any sort of questioning any time soon.

Clary was surprisingly lighter than Jace had anticipated - though, he hadn't expected her to be all that heavy either. Her head flopped lazily onto his chest and her hand lay in her lap as he rounded the corner, seeing Isabelle waiting at the car.

"You want her in the back or in the front?" She asked, her voice more formal than it had been before.

Jace thought for a second before nodding at the passenger door. "Front. It might not be the most comfortable for her, but at least that way I can get to her quicker and make sure she's okay." Isabelle nodded, opening up the passenger door and allowing Jace to rest Clary on the seat.

Her body was rather loose as he did so, making coordinating her limbs into the car more difficult. Eventually, with the help of Izzy, he managed to get her into a comfortable enough position and buckle her up. He shut the door and leaned against it, turning to Isabelle.

"Keep your eyes on him." He commanded in reference to Sebastian, and she nodded as she handed him the keys to the car. "Tell me if he does anything, or says anything. I'll keep you and Alec updated on her state." He started to head around to the driver side before Izzy spoke, catching his attention.

"Do you want me to tell her brother?" That stopped him for a moment, and he thought. If she told him that Clary was hurt, he would probably freak out and demand to see her. That could only stress her out more, which wouldn't be a help to anyone. He also didn't want to completely lie to him; he was her brother after all.

"Tell him she got sick, and I offered to drive her home." Jace deliberated. "Reassure him that she'll be fine, and she'll be waiting at home for him after he finishes lesson." Isabelle nodded, wishing him a final good luck before heading back into the diner.

Once Jace was in the drivers seat, he cast a glance to Clary, only to see her in a different position from the simple sitting one they had placed her in. Her arms and legs were pulled up against her exactly as they had been in the alley way, though her head rested against the window. Her eyes were open, but they looked dead.

Jace let out a soft sigh as he started up the car and pulled away from the diner, heading towards their apartment block. Every so often he would dart his eyes towards her to check she was okay, though her state remained the same the entire car ride. It was fifteen minutes by the time they stopped outside their residence, and he turned towards her.

"Am I superhero lifting you again, or do you think you have enough energy not to swoon at my feet this time?" He hoped that joking with her would regain some normalcy back to her that he had seen throughout the morning. A blush, a smile, a sarcastic retort. But he got none of them. She simply shrugged, saying nothing.

She was able to walk this time, thankfully, though Jace wouldn't have minded carrying her up to her apartment. With her in his arms before, he had a protective urge over him, and everything had seemed so right. It was an odd thought to have, given the circumstances, but Jace couldn't help it. Something about her in his arms made him feel at home, and it was a peculiar emotion for him to feel. He had never felt 'at home' in his entire life. Not in The Academy, not with the Lightwoods, not with anybody in the foster system. Never.

Jace had let Clary go up the stairs first, figuring it was the safest option should her body choose to give out on her again - he didn't want her falling back and cracking her head on the stairs. He was just about to ask her if she needed any help as they reached her door when she turned around and spoke, interrupting any train of thought he had.

"Can you stay with me?" Her voice was strained and barely above a whisper, and he could see the pain it was causing her across her face. He didn't hesitate before nodding, for some reason wanting to do anything to make sure she was okay.

She lead him into her apartment, which was laid out exactly the same as his own except in reverse. She dumped her keys in a bowl by the door, walking a couple steps into the living room before turning to face him. "I'm gonna change. Is that okay?" Her face contorted into an expression Jace didn't like seeing on her - it was ugly and painful, and didn't suit her at all. Not that it made her look ugly - just the expression was ugly. Jace nodded, gesturing that he would remain in the living room.

Five short minutes later Clary returned dressed in what appeared to be dark blue sleep shorts with a white vest top. With such little clothing, Jace couldn't help but notice the prominent bruising across her neck and throat. She had expertly hid the marks from him by tucking her chin to her chest, or placing her hands there. Now he knew why it hurt her so much to speak.

"What happened to your neck, Clary?" His voice was urgent as he crossed the room to her, raising a hand as if to pull her to him before unnaturally dropping it to his side. She shook her head which caused her hair that she had let out of her ponytail to come forwards, concealing most of the bruising. She folded her arms across her chest and looked away to the floor.

"It hurts too much to talk." She sounded like she was on the verge of tears again, and the last thing Jace wanted to do was make her cry. He went to apologise, but she just shook her head. "I'll talk later. Can we just... watch a film or something?" She looked up at him and attempted a smile, which made him feel a little better. At least she was trying. He agreed to watch a film with her, so long as she promised to tell him - or at least her brother, when he came home - what happened.

Fifteen minutes later they were both sat on the couch with some _James Bond_ film on. Jace had to hold back a laugh as he watched her choose it, though he still caught the curious side glance she gave him. They originally started at opposite ends of the average-sized sofa, Clary with her legs pulled up underneath her with Jace sitting with both feet planted firmly on the floor.

About half way through the film, he noticed she had managed to inch her way closer to him, and was practically leaning against his entire body. The warmth against his body was unfamiliar, though not completely unwelcome. He wrapped an arm around her waist comfortingly, causing her to let out a sigh as she leaned her head onto his shoulder. Jace allowed for his eyes to close for a few moments as he soaked in his current relaxed position, the body curled up besides his giving him comfort he didn't realise he had needed.

It was almost 3.30pm by the time the film had finished, and by that time Jace had felt himself almost become one with both Clary and the sofa as he sunk into the relaxing state. It was Clary stirring besides him that alerted him, and he slowly retracted his arm from around her as she sat up. She rubbed at her eye with the heel of her hand before running a hand through her mane of curls. She turned to him with a more genuine smile than the one she had managed before, showing that she was at least somewhat better than she had been before.

"Thank you for staying with me." Her voice seemed a little stronger than it had before, but was still strained, and she still appeared to be in pain. Jace shook his head dismissively as they headed for her door, assuring her that he was just doing his gentlemanly duties to make sure she was okay.

"Funny. I never pegged you for the gentleman type." She attempted a laugh, before wincing at the pain and coughing a couple times into her hand. She shook her head subtly to herself, before looking up at Jace. He smiled at her.

"You'd be surprised."

"You know I'm literally five seconds away if you need anything, Clary." His voice was soft, and she nodded. "I'm sure Jonathan and Simon will be home soon, but you know where I am in the mean time."

"I know." She nodded. "Thank you." She placed a hand on his shoulder and used it to pull herself up higher to plant a small kiss on his cheek. She even had to tilt her head up to do it due to their height difference, but she managed it nonetheless. Jace could feel the warm sting of her touch as she pulled away, and he couldn't help but smile.

"Any time, Clarissa. Any time."


	6. Words of Wisdom From a Wise Old Owl

**Chapter Six - Better Decisions**

 _Chapter Songs;  
_

 _Scene One - No More Wishing - Haley Taylor  
_ _Scene Two - Alejandro - Lady Gaga_

* * *

After Jace had left her apartment, Clary found herself wandering aimlessly into her bedroom. Despite it being barely mid afternoon, she felt tired, wanting to do nothing more than rest. She couldn't sleep, though - the pain was too much for her to rest. She crawled her way on her bed to sit with her back against the headboard, leaning over to grab some tylenol, downing two with the left over glass of water from the previous night. Her face curled up in disgust as she did so, having always hated tablets. Sometimes, depending on the type, she even had to break them in half to be able to swallow them.

Before she could get too comfy, she walked the short journey to the chair in the corner of her room to retrieve her sketchpad and pencils that she hadn't gotten the chance to use earlier in the day before returning to her spot on the bed.

She let herself sink down slightly, her back being propped up by several pillows. She brought her knees up to a comfortable spot to use as a source of leaning, resting her sketchpad against her thighs. Clary sighed as she placed pencil to pen, almost immediately feeling a wash of comfort come over her.

Drawing had always been a source to relieve her stress or her anxiety, and she could never think of a problem in her life that couldn't be calmed with a couple hours of drawing. She could lose herself in her work easily, drowning out anything around her. No noise, no panic, no problems, could distract her when she was in her artistic world. Sometimes she drew randomly. A butterfly and a flower and a skull on one page, while on others she drew full on portraits of people stuck in her mind. Today was the latter.

She didn't have to think of what she was drawing, her hands almost doing the movements for her as she began sketching the eyes - _the window to the soul,_ as some people say. These eyes were wide with apprehension, and you could almost feel the tenseness in them. They were alert like a lion's, always being ready to pounce. Light bags decorated the underside of them, and crease lines the corners. They were simple eyes, very masculine - barely any lashes - though comforting nonetheless.

Eyebrows, nose, and mouth came next, each being utterly unique to anything Clary had drawn before. She was precise on her pencil lines, sharpening her tools frequently to ensure they were as sharp as could be. For some reason, she wanted to this to look perfect, which was unlike her. Usually her venting pictures were rough sketches, messy, like how she felt. But this time was different.

By the time she had finished the lining of her piece, she found herself missing something. The drawing itself was realistic, and almost perfect. But it wasn't quite right.

She carefully placed her pencils and sketchpad at the end of the bed as she pulled open her bottom drawer, lifting out a rather luxurious looking box. It was almost like a briefcase with the size and build of it. She shut the drawer and placed the box besides her on the bed, opening it slowly and meticulously.

The 48-pack of Derwent Artist pencils sat perfectly in their rows, each one being sharpened to a perfect point. Clary treasured these with her life, despite Simon's constant nagging of how stupid the obsession was. Jonathan understood, though. Her mother had given her these on her 16th birthday, over two years ago, yet they still looked brand new.

She carefully picked out the few pencils she needed, placing them on the top of her sketchpad. She was sat up straight now with her legs extended in front, drawing on the book on her lap. She pressed her lips into a tight line as she concentrated on the colouring, working from the darkest shade up to the lightest.

Once she was content, she ceremoniously placed all of the pencils back into their individual slots, before closing the box and putting it back in its home.

Now, in front of her, lay what she was certain was the perfect portrait she could ever create.

Jace's golden eyes shone out at her from the page, being the only hint of colour in the entire black-and-white drawing. It was nervewrackingly realistic, and Clary wondered how she could have memorised his face so perfectly; the gentle curve of his bottom lip, his perfect cupids bow, the slight dip between his eyebrows. He looked angelic, if it wasn't for the slight scowl adorning his features. Then again, even angels get mad sometimes.

Clary wasn't sure how long she had sat admiring the picture in front of her, but she was sure that anyone who had seen her would find it creepy. With a hesitant sigh, she closed her book up and placed it on the cabinet besides her, before shrinking down to completely lie on the bed. She brought the light sheet that sat on the bottom of her bed up to about waist-level, her eyes slowly drooping shut. She was content, and she was finally able to sleep.

* * *

A quiet noise from somewhere in the apartment was enough to wake Clary, and she was instantly stirring in her bed. She let out a whine of complaint as she turned to look at the alarm clock, seeing it read _18.14._ She had managed to get about an hours worth of sleep, which had definitely helped her. The pain in her throat was still there, but the rest of her didn't feel as weak as it did before.

She had just thrown the sheet off her and was shifting to the edge of the bed when there was a quiet knock on the door. "Clary?" She recognised her brothers voice instantly, and she tried clearing her throat a little before she replied.

"Come in, Jonathan." Her voice was still strained, but she figured she could just blame that on just waking up. She quickly pulled her tangle of hair forwards to hide the bruising on her neck as best she could before he peaked his head around the door.

"Hey." His face was soft and smiling though his voice was laced with concerned as he walked the rest of his body into the room, leaving the door open a foot or so. He made his way over to sit next to her on the bed, their shoulders purposefully touching. He bumped hers with his. "Isabelle said you weren't feeling too good back at Taki's. You alright?"

Clary nodded, tilting her head up to look at him in a way that concealed the bruises further than her hair alone had done. "I threw up when I got outside. It was gross." She laughed a little at her lie, hoping he believed it. He just nodded, his expression neutral. "Jace came out and saw me being sick and offered me a drive home."

"Why didn't Sebastian drive you?" He furrowed his eyebrows, immediately concerned as to why the person who should have been taking care of her didn't. Clary shrugged with pursed lips.

"Jace was heading home anyway to finish some paperwork off for NYU, so it was convenient." That seemed to satisfy Jonathan enough and he smiled again, wrapping an arm around his little sister's shoulders.

"You don't sound too good, either. Maybe you should take the rest of the week off." Clary liked the sound of that. Not that she enjoyed missing college - she didn't. But she also didn't want to worry about having to find ways to cover up her neck for the next two days at school, or coming up with lies when people questioned the bruising. She just nodded with a smile, turning her head to look at the open door.

"Who else is in?" She asked, hearing a couple voices coming from the living room.

"Magnus and Sebastian. They both wanted to check on how you were doing, but I said you'd probably be more receptible to seeing me first. We all know what you're like when you're in a mood." Clary just rolled her eyes at that, before rising to her feet.

She walked over to her wardrobe to grab a light house coat, pulling it on over her sleepwear. Not that she didn't feel comfortable in just her pyjamas around Jonathan - or even Magnus, for that matter. They'd both seen a lot more of her before. She just felt wary of Sebastian being in the house, how he would act being unpredictable. She pulled the white satin material tightly around herself and tied it up at the front. It had a slight collar to it which hid most of the bruising. She figured that would be a priority of hers for at least the next couple of days.

"Where'd everyone else go?" She folded her arms across her chest as she turned to Jonathan, tilting her head curiously to the side. He shrugged.

"Alec came back with us and is in his place, I suppose settling in. Isabelle whisked Simon away to show her some bar or something." He seemed dismissive of where Isabelle had taken Simon, and she couldn't help but wonder if she had missed something in her absence. Simon wasn't the one for bars, yet he was being shown one by their new friend. Clary shrugged it off as nothing more than an odd occurrence, heading into the main body of the house with Jonathan shortly behind her.

Sebastian was sat rigidly on the edge of the sofa when she came in, instantly looking up at her. His first fleeting expression was angry, though that quickly changed to concern when he saw Jonathan behind her. His arms were balanced on his knees with his hands wringing each other in the air, though he made no attempt to approach her.

Magnus had been leaning against the wall opposite Sebastian while they spoke. His attention was immediately diverted to Clary once she walked in, and he gently captured her wrist with his long fingers. He pulled her lightly so she spun around to face him, capturing her other arm so she didn't fall over from the momentum. His expression was scrutinising her as he bent down and looked over every inch of her face and body. She silently hoped to herself that he wouldn't notice the bruises on her neck, though she knew with Magnus that wish would probably be ignored. He let her arm go to subtly push aside part of her hair, exposing her neck. She closed her eyes disappointingly and turned away from him, hearing him release a soft sigh. He smoothed the hair back down before placing his fingers on her chin and forcing her to look at him. He didn't speak, but gave her a rather knowing expression. _We'll talk later,_ the expression said. She nodded, before he pulled her into a tight hug.

Clary wrapped her arms tightly around his torso and buried her face into his chest, soaking in his scent. He smelt like parchment and lavender which soothed her mind. "Clary," an unwanted voice pulled her away from the bliss she wanted to remain in, and she reluctantly turned in Magnus' arms to face the owner of the it. One of Magnus' arms was still wrapped securely around her back as he glared up at Sebastian, his eyes darker than Clary had ever seen them before. "Can I talk to you alone?" He sounded like he was trying to be kind to her, but she could hear the strain in his voice. She wondered if Magnus or Jonathan could hear it. Nevertheless, she nodded, breaking away reluctantly from the comfort of Magnus' embrace.

She lead him into her bedroom which, admittedly, could have been a bad decision, but she was too exhausted to calculate the possible outcomes. Her arms were folded as she walked in, continuing to face away as Sebastian came in and shut the door behind them.

"What did you tell them?" The softness to his voice was immediately gone once they were alone, more of a growl replacing it. Clary shook her head, still refusing to look at him.

"I didn't tell them anything." She said truthfully.

Sebastian was behind her instantly, a painful grip on her shoulder spinning her around to face him. "Don't lie to me, Clarissa. You told them something. Why else would Magnus be sending me daggers from across the room if you hadn't told him?"

"Don't touch me!" She swatted his hand off from her and quickly backed to the other side of the room, though remained facing him. Her voice would have been a sort of a scream, but the pain in her throat made it came out more like a strangled attempt to hold back tears. She could feel her body shaking, though she tried her hardest to stand her ground. "Maybe he's looking at you like that because you deserve it."

"How dare you talk to me like that, Clarissa-" he started towards her, but she swiftly cut both his movement and his speech off. She sharply raised her hand out in front of her in a 'stop' motion, an angry tone seeping into her voice.

"How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me _Clarissa?_ " Her voice broke at the end, and she could feel the tears threatening to spill over her eyes. The entire events of the day had pushed her further than she had ever been before, and she could slowly feel her body reacting in ways she didn't want it to. She didn't want to seem weak in front of him, but the tears silently fell anyway.

She folded her arms again and looked down at the floor, toeing at it absently. "I think you need to stay away from me, Sebastian." Her voice was quiet, and it was evident she was scared of his reaction. That's why she wasn't looking at him.

She heard him growl, and he made his way over to her to grab both of her arms. He shook her forcefully, making her cry out slightly as she looked up at him. He was glaring at her, his brows furrowed. He was so close to her that she could smell smoke, making her wrinkle her nose in disgust. Clary shook her head pitifully, clenching her eyes shut. "Please, stop. Just let me go. Sebastian." She whimpered again. "Just let me go."

"I can't let you go, Clary." At least he called her by her preferred name this time, though the venom was still there in his voice. "You belong with me." Before she knew what was happening, his hot lips were clamped down on hers. His kiss was wet and gross, and she tried to resist him as best she could. Her lips were firmly shut, yet he still managed to force them apart with his tongue.

Clary cried out against his mouth, trying her hardest to hit his chest and push him away. He was too strong for her, his arms clenched tightly around either bicep. She felt disgusted as he forced herself onto her while she could do nothing to resist. She clenched her eyes tightly shut and hoped her lack of response would make him give up.

The door opening behind Sebastian alerted her attention, before his entire body was lifted - no, thrown - off her. The sudden change in force sent her tumbling forwards, and she just managed to put her hands out in front of her to catch her fall. She coughed repeatedly as she knelt on the ground, before she felt arms encircling her. She looked up to see Magnus pulling her to a standing position, and she leaned into him for support despite the fact she was sure she could stand herself. She looked around her room and took in the scene.

Sebastian had been thrown face first onto her bed, and Jace was stood at the foot of it with his eyes fixated on the dark haired boy. His stance was ready to fight, and Clary knew immediately that it was him who had saved her from Sebastian's disgusting grasps. Sebastian was immediately off the bed and charged towards Jace, a fist flying for his face. She tried to scream Jace's name, but choked instead. Magnus tightened his grip around her as she leaned forwards towards the boys fighting. Sebastian got into fights all the time, and he never lost. Jace would be no match for him, and she knew it. She wanted to help him.

Expertly Jace managed to lean away and escape Sebastian's fist. The momentum of his swing carried him around, and Jace took that as opportunity to grab his other hand. He twisted it around to Sebastian's back sharply, resulting in a loud yelp of pain from the boy. Sebastian's hand swung back blindly as if to grab Jace's hair or collar, but he managed to catch it and twist it symmetrically to the other. He looked like he could easily break his arms, though he was restraining himself.

Jonathan was in the doorway, mouth open with shock as he watched his best friend be kicked behind the knee to fall to the ground. Jace shoved him forcefully down, causing another yelp of pain to come out of Sebastian's mouth.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" Sebastian yelled to Jace, who simply scoffed and begun adding pressure to his injuries.

"You don't get to talk in this situation, _dick."_ Jace spat in retaliation, throwing Sebastian forwards onto the floor. He just managed to stop himself from hitting it face first by catching himself with his hands. He was heaving heavily onto the ground for several moments before he rose to his feet. His body was shaking, and Clary couldn't tell if it was from fear or adrenaline. Or both.

He turned to say something to Clary, but Jonathan interrupted him before he could. "You need to leave, Sebastian." His voice was low yet menacing, and it was clear he had finally lost respect for the boy. Sebastian turned around and looked at him with disbelief, stepping towards him. "Don't start excuses, Sebastian. Get out." Jonathan glared at him. " _Now."_

Sebastian huffed, shaking his head in shock. He looked at Jonathan, then glared at Jace, before turning his gaze to Clary. She shrunk away from him, almost molding into Magnus' arms. He had his arms completely wrapped around her, his armpits covering her shoulders. "This isn't over, Clarissa."

"Oh, I think it is." Jace stepped forwards with his arms crossed, a menacing expression across his face as Sebastian turned to look at him. They stood like that for an immeasurable length of time, before Sebastian finally gave up. Without another word, he stalked out of the room by barging past Jonathan with a rough shove to his shoulder, before ultimately leaving the apartment with a slam of the front door.

Everybody seemed to move at hyper speed at the exact same moment after that, Jonathan and Jace immediately rushing to check on Clary. Magnus was muttering something into her ear about how he was there, and that he would catch her. She wasn't entirely sure what that meant until she felt her legs give way beneath her, her vision slowly turning dark as she fell into the unknown.

* * *

 _I have realised lately that I write way too much for my own well being. This chapter was originally going to be in the same one as Chapter Five, as well as the next one. I've had to cut them into three separate one due to their length. Oops?_


	7. Treading on Thin Ice

**Chapter Seven - We Need to Talk**

 _Chapter Songs;_

 _Scene One and Two; Are We There Yet - Ingrid Michaelson  
Scene Three; There's Something Dark - Dustin Kensrue_

* * *

Clary stirred in her sleep, her body forcing her to wake up without much of a choice. She whined to herself as she curled into something warm but hard. Her subconscious knew it wasn't her bed or a pillow, but she didn't care. A gentle movement against her arm brought her closer to the surface, as well as something soft touching her forehead.

"Wakey wakey, biscuit." Magnus cooed quietly to her, and she let out a noise of complaint. She felt his body bounce up and down as he laughed at her, and she realised the movement against her arm was his hand rubbing it soothingly. "Come on, your body wants to be awake by the looks of it. Fighting with it will only make you groggy."

She knew she couldn't argue against his reason, but was still remaining stubborn. After much deliberation and a lengthy sigh, Clary opened her eyes only to be met with Magnus' sequenced red shirt. She turned her body around in his arms until she was looking up at him, his lips spread into a goofy grin. "Morning, biscuit."

"It's morning?" Clary furrowed her brows in confusion. Had she slept for that long? She didn't even remember going to sleep, yet here she was laying in her bed with Magnus by her side. Why was Magnus there? Her mind was flooded with questions until he spoke, setting her at ease.

"No. It's _nine o'clock._ " He clarified. "But 'good morning' is usually what you say when somebody wakes up. 'Good evening', not so much." He scrunched his face up and shook his head playfully, making her giggle. She was glad the extra few hours of sleep had seemed to relieve some of the pain in her throat, though it still hurt a little to speak.

Clary gently pushed herself off from his chest to sit up, and he let her as he dropped his hands to the bed. He had been leaning against the stack of pillows Clary had created earlier so he was already half propped up. Clary crossed her legs over as she sat up, hands dropped lazily in her lap. She yawned, looking around her room absentmindedly.

A fleeting thought passed her by as she wondered where Jace and Jonathan were, and it was then that she remembered what happened before she fell asleep.

She hadn't _fell asleep._ She collapsed, her body caving in around her with the stress of the day. The last thing she remembered was Magnus' arms protecting her from hitting the ground completely, before she surrendered herself to the darkness.

"I think," Magnus' voice was cautious as he sat himself up, mimicking how she was sat. "We need to talk about a couple things. Namely, _Sebastian."_ Clary scrunched her face up in pain at that name, dropping her head down so she couldn't see Magnus. She didn't want to talk about him. She didn't want to talk about what happened. She just wanted to forget about it all.

"Hey," she felt his firm grip on her chin as he forced her to look up at him. His expression was soft and caring, no trace of anger or disappointment in them. "I know it's going to be hard for you to talk about it. But you've done it before, Biscuit. It's just me here."

Clary nodded, remembering several different occasions where similar events had happened. They were never as bad as what happened earlier in the day, but they were still emotionally painful. Each and every time, Magnus had been there for her, his words of wisdom consoling her greatly.

She didn't know where to start, and Magnus could sense her hesitation. He repositioned himself and Clary so that they were sitting completely opposite each other. He took a deep breath, looking directly into her eyes. She felt slightly embarrassed, but she quickly told herself that it was stupid. It's just Magnus.

"Why don't we start with what happened here." He said calmly as he pushed her hair behind her shoulders to expose the bruising on her neck. She closed her eyes with a soft sigh as she prepared herself, before slowly explaining to him everything that happened in the alley - from her shouting to him, to Sebastian attacking her, to Jace bringing her home. But she couldn't stop there, continuing to what happened to when Sebastian and her were left alone in her room. The words just came tumbling out of her mouth, and she couldn't stop herself from pouring out every last emotion.

Magnus was quiet the entire time while Clary retold the events of that afternoon, nothing about him ever changing. He firmly sat up straight with a neutral expression, never gasping, never interrupting her. He was the perfect listener.

Clary dropped her gaze to look at her hands once she had finished, sighing softly to herself. "Well? Did you?" It was the first time he had spoken in the ten minutes it took her to go over everything. She looked up at him with a confused expression. "Blush, that is." He clarified as he bowed his head forwards slightly as he spoke.

She swallowed hard, thinking back to when they had been laughing and talking in the diner. She had blushed when he looked her way, though admittedly it wasn't hard to do. Being a pale redhead came with the burden of turning into a tomato at even the smallest of awkward encounters. But there was something different about this time, with Jace. It wasn't just an embarrassed blush; it was more heated, and it was as if she could feel it flushing through her entire body. That had never happened before. Well, up until Jace looked at her.

She nodded, biting her lower lip slightly. "I guess I deserved it." Her voice was quiet so that she could keep it more controlled, knowing the moment it went above a whisper then every fault and waver would be heard. "I lied to him. You shouldn't lie to the people you're with." Her face contorted into a pained expression as she said the word 'with'. Was she really _with_ Sebastian? They'd never called themselves boyfriend and girlfriend. They'd never been on a date just the two of them. Clary knew that he slept with other girls, but for some reason she couldn't bring herself to talk to him about it. Maybe that was the way things just were between them. Every relationship was different, right?

"You also shouldn't lie to yourself, Clary." Magnus was calculating as he watched her every action, making no advancement to coddle her. She liked that about him. While Simon would baby her and coo her to sleep with assurances that everything would be okay, Magnus was more realistic. He comforted her when she _really_ needed it, but he always wanted to be honest in the way he helped. "You're just lucky you told someone, namely me, before he boiled you alive."

Clary shook her head at his words, not entirely sure what he was talking about. She heard him sigh, before his shifting made her look up. He had pulled himself closer to her so that their knees were now touching. Or rather, Clary's knees were touching his crossed legs due to their different lengths. He took both her hands in his, but kept them all in her lap. "Put it this way, Clary. What was Sebastian like when you first... got together?"

She shrugged, thinking back to the first time they had started getting close. "He was sweet, I guess." She nodded. He was. He would always compliment her whether it be on her outfit or her hair or her work. "He was protective, caring."

Magnus nodded at that, her words seeming to confirm something in his thoughts. "And you admit this outburst of rage wasn't the first time he'd done something like this to you?"

Again, she nodded. He had hurt her before in a jealous rage, and shouted and claimed her as his own. Magnus knew of every time this had occurred, meaning there was no point in lying. "Now, what I'm about to say next may seem a little off topic, but stay with me." He assured her.

"Think of a frog. People have shown that, if you put a frog in boiling hot water, it will immediately jump out. It's smart like that - it knows it's hot, and will hurt it, so it gets out of there immediately. If you put it in cold water, however, it will remain there. Slowly turn the heat up, until it's boiling, and it will die. It's so used to the increase of heat that it barely notices it's being boiled alive, and so remains in the water, until it's dead."

"Now, apply that to your situation with Sebastian. He was nice to you in the start, and protective and caring - your words, right? That's the cold water you, the frog, are being placed in. Over time, he lost that sweetness to him, and became more volatile towards you. Starting with shouting at you, then pushing you about. The heat was slowly being turned up that whole time, Clary. You just never noticed. Him almost strangling you today? Forcing himself onto you? That's the water boiling. You need to get out, _now,_ before you end up just as dead as that frog."

* * *

Magnus had stayed with Clary until about 10 o'clock, when he had decided that it was late enough and he should head home. They spoke happily for the time they remained together, as two close friends. Clary wondered allowed where Jace had gone, and how he had gotten into the apartment to stop Sebastian. Apparently he had come over to check to see how she was feeling, when Jonathan spilled that she was in her room with Sebastian. Jace had stormed past him without another word and headed into Clary's room to protect her. Magnus wasn't sure where he went after she fainted. He had left the apartment just as quickly as he entered. Clary furrowed her brows at that, not understanding the connection. If he was so eager to protect her, why was he just as eager to leave her?

Magnus had promised not to tell anyone about what Sebastian did, including Clary's brother, so long as she promised to cease all contact with him. She happily complied, the events of the day shaking her awake to what a terrible person he had grown to become. Magnus also agreed to letting her have a private party at Pandemonium on Saturday night, since his father was the owner. "I'll pull some strings." He had smirked with a twinkle in his eye before heading out of her room.

Clary slid off her bed and welcomed the cool flooring against her feet, having felt oddly hot and flustered in the past couple hours. She shrugged off her house coat and hung it on the corner of her full-length mirror, taking in her state.

Her hair was a tangled mess atop her head, though she had definitely seen it in worse states. If she ran her fingers through the top layer, it looked somewhat passable for her normal hair, but she knew the knots were still hidden underneath. She was paler than usual, which was difficult, with bags under her eyes. The colours of the bags matched those around her neck, and she let out a soft sigh as she reached her hand up to them. Her voice was completely back at that point, and it didn't really hurt. Only if she raised it, or purposefully prodded the marks - she promised not to make a habit out of that.

A low rumbling sound from her stomach caught her attention, and she instantly covered it with both hands. It had been 10 hours since she had last eaten anything, and even then she hadn't gotten to finish her burger. She was starving, and she knew she would have to venture out into the main body of the house to get some food. Clary quickly grabbed a few makeup items from her vanity, not wanting to risk running into Jonathan or Simon on her adventure. They would only question her mercilessly until she spilled the entire story, which would result in them becoming furious to protect her honour. They'd both go after Sebastian, Simon would end up hurt, and Sebastian would end up possibly dead knowing the temper Jonathan had on him. She couldn't risk that.

With concealer and powder, and the little knowledge of makeup she had, she did a decent job of hiding all the bruises. You could only see them if you were looking super closely directly at her neck, and even then they were only faded marks of reddish purple. Satisfied with her disguise, she headed out to snag some food.

* * *

"There's nothing on him, Jace." Alec had thrown a small file of papers onto the table, which skidded across it and onto the floor. He was slumped back in the sofa in his apartment, fingers massaging his temple as if he had a headache. Two hours he had spent rummaging through just three pieces of paper with information. There was only so much you could read on three pages, and he had seen everything there was to see within about half an hour. Jace was just being picky, demanding he scrutinised every single aspect.

The blond had been pacing in front of the table for the past twenty minutes, and his hair was stuck up in random places from the amount of times he had ran his hands through it. He swiftly picked up the file from the floor and threw it back into Alec's lap without looking, barely breaking his stride as he continued pacing. "Look again."

"Jace!" Alec shouted at him, tossing the folder to the seat besides him as he leaned forwards with his arms resting on his knees. "I've looked six times now, and I can assure you, there's nothing. You're just flogging a dead horse at this point." Jace was shaking his head as he spoke, refusing to accept it.

"There's got to be something, Alec. An arrest, some history of abuse. He must have _something._ "

"Sebastian Verlac is fucking clean, okay, Jace? Not a speeding ticket or bad high school grade to his name. He's flawless." That made Jace stop in his tracks, and he turned to punch the wall with a growl. Alec stood up and made his way over to him, turning him around before he could injure himself further. "Why is this such bad news to you? Be thankful he isn't an assassin from Starkweather sent to kill Clary."

"Because I can't hurt somebody who isn't the target!" Jace lifted his balled fists up in the air in exasperation, walking past the brunet before he lashed out and did something he would later regret. He was frustrated beyond anything he had ever felt before, and he wasn't even sure why.

He picked up the file from the seat and turned to the kitchen to throw it in the garbage bin. He didn't want to even look at it.

"What's got you so worked up over this guy?" Alec was behind him once again, and it was like a little lost puppy was following him around. Jace gripped the edge of the kitchen counter, his back to Alec, as he sighed.

"I don't know, Alec, I really don't know." He sounded calmer than he had before as he shook his head, clenching his eyes tightly shut in a feeble attempt to push back the emotions he was feeling. Seeing Sebastian treat her in that way had stirred something violent inside Jace, something he never knew he was capable of. Clary had appeared so small and helpless as he wrapped himself around her, and he dreaded to think of what could have escalated had he not stormed in there when he did.

Jace had never wanted to hurt someone so badly as he had when he had Sebastian's arms twisted around his back. He wanted to break them both there and then, but there was two things stopping him. Firstly, his oath to The Academy. He and the rest of the agents had sworn never to purposefully harm anyone who was not their target. If somehow word had gotten back to them that Jace had hurt him, he'd be reprimanded and taken off from the case. But he so wanted to hurt him for what he had did to Clary.

She was the second thing stopping her. Looking up at her wrapped in her friends arms, he couldn't help but see how weak the day had made her. What was a spritely ball of fire when they had first met in the morning had slowly descended into a shell of fragility and despair. Seeing someone she cared about being injured right in front of her eyes could possibly set her off in a worse way than she already was, and Jace didn't want to risk that.

The moment Clary fell to the floor was the moment he knew he had to leave. His entire being was telling him to run and catch her like he had in the alley, that it was his job to protect her. And, technically, it was. Just not in this way. He had never felt such a strong urge to protect someone before then, and he was overwhelmed by the emotion. He ran out as quickly as he could, heading straight to The Institute to get Sebastian's file in an attempt to dig up dirt on him.

"It better not be that girl." Isabelle's scolding voice pulled Jace away from his thoughts, and he turned around to see her walking in from the front door. She looked pretty much the exact same as she had when he last saw her, except her lipstick was smudged and she had small droplets of sweat balling up at her forehead. "You know that's one of the worst things an agent can do. Fall in love with their client."

Jace was about to shoot her down on how wrong her interpretation was, but Alec beat him to it. "This is Jace we're talking about. He doesn't fall in love." Some saw that as quite bleak, but it was the truth. He had never had the capability to fall in love with anybody, all the girls he had been with never truly sparking his interest. More than anything, though, he couldn't allow himself to fall in love. His life was too dangerous, and he could never expect an outsider to embrace the world he lived in.

Isabelle let out a short huff as she looked between the two boys sceptically, pursing her lips. "You better be right." She stalked past the pair of them to grab a bottle of water from the fridge, before heading into her bedroom. Jace scoffed in disbelief, and Alec just shook his head before looking up at the blond.

"Sleep it off. Maybe you'll be better in the morning." That was the last thing he said before he retreated into his own bedroom, leaving Jace all alone.

He made his way over to the sofa and collapsed down on it, bringing his legs up onto the seat besides him. He rested his elbow on the back of it and leaned his head against his hand, glancing up at the clock on the wall. 11.50. At this rate, he'd never fall asleep.

* * *

 _I'm going to see Europe's Strongest Man Final tomorrow and driving home Sunday so I may not be able to update until Monday night. Just letting you know! Love you all so much, special shout outs to users Carasemoji and WeirdACE for being there with me in every single chapter leaving reviews. You're all awesome._


	8. It's All in the Details

**Chapter Eight - Party Planning**

 _Chapter Songs;_

 _Scene One; Add It Up - This Club  
Scene Two; Shout Out Out Out Out - Chicken Soup For The Fuck You  
Scene Three; Style - Phil Ogden Band  
Scene Four; Flaunt - Girls Love Shoes_

* * *

The next few days went by rather uneventfully what with Clary taking Jonathan's advice to not go to college. She also refused to go out of the house through fear of seeing Sebastian. Jonathan and Simon had repeatedly offered to skip class to stay home and look after her, but she insisted that she would be fine without them. Magnus visited occasionally between lessons, but whenever he arrived he also brought Isabelle along to party plan for Saturday.

"We are _not_ inviting Ragnor Fell." Magnus was sat on Clary's sofa with a pen in hand and notepad on his lap. He shook his head disapprovingly at Clary, who just furrowed her brows. It was Friday afternoon, and they were just going over the final details for the party tomorrow night.

"You told me Ragnor was your friend." He kept shaking his head at that, as well as the pen, before crossing out the name on his list.

"He is not a friend, he's an acquaintance - not to mention, a pain in my lovely behind." He folded his legs and propped himself up straighter as he thought of more people to invite, having been in a sour mood since Clary kept shooting down every one of his suggestions.

"What about Will and that lot?" Clary was sat on the floor in front of Magnus with her legs crossed, looking up at him. She leaned forwards to rest her elbows on her knees, hoping he wouldn't shoot them down. She liked Will and his friends, and they knew how to party within reason. Magnus furrowed his brows at that for an oddly long time.

"Who's 'Will and that lot'?" Isabelle interjected. She was sat on the other side of the sofa with her legs crossed, leaning forwards eagerly as she listened to the conversation. Although she didn't know a lot of the people around that area, she was useful in deciding other aspects of the party like music and alcoholic specials.

"Will is one of Magnus' friends with benefits." Magnus' mouth dropped open wide at that, and Clary had to stifle a laugh.

"Will and I have never been anything more than friends, thank you very much, Clarissa." She scowled at him for using her full name, and he cast her a wicked smile that showed he knew exactly what he was doing. "He's cute, but that's about it. Besides, he's a taken man, and I would never stoop that low."

Will had been seeing Tessa Gray for quite some time now, though everyone had placed bets that they'd never last more than a couple years. Three years later and they were even considering marriage, which made Clary shudder at the thought. How could somebody consider marriage at just 20? She could barely manage college and a pesky brother, nevermind a husband and possibly children.

Isabelle went to say something else, but Clary spoke first. "So you keep saying. Anyway, he's got plenty of friends who I'm sure would be happy to come. Tessa, Jessamine, Jem, Cecily. Invite them all."

Magnus didn't argue further on the topic, instead writing down the names to their ever growing list.

* * *

After another hour or so of bickering, the three had finally come to an agreement on their official guests, and decided they could each have a plus one if they so desired. Pandemonium was huge, and they were sure to of forgotten somebody in their haste. Adding on a plus one would only save their backs if that was the case.

It was a little after 5 in the afternoon, which Isabelle had decided was late enough to start drinking. "We're not getting _drunk,_ obviously. That's for tomorrow. Just a little something to take the edge of things." She skipped her way over to Clary's kitchen and began raiding her cupboard of alcohol, beginning to make cocktails. "Besides, you've been sick for the past two days. Drinking a little will help you get over it quicker."

Clary had told everyone, besides Magnus, that she had gotten food poisoning from Taki's, and that's why she was 'sick'. Despite the fact she wasn't throwing up all the time, nobody seemed to question that. She just nodded for Isabelle to carry on her cocktail making when there was a knock on the door.

"I'll get it." She straightened her legs up and pushed herself to her feet before walking over to the front door. Simon and Jonathan should both be heading home from class by now, though they both had keys. She opened up the door to see Jace stood in the doorway, hands in the back pocket of his jeans.

He looked straight ahead, as if expecting Jonathan, before lowering his gaze to her. He let out a small laugh as he gave her a toothy grin, and she felt her breath hitch in her throat. She looked him up and down a couple times, taking in his appearance.

His beautifully blond hair hung angelically as it curled around his face, matching his golden eyes almost perfectly. He wore a long sleeved, black v-neck shirt which clung to his body, subtly showing off the muscles adorning his chest and stomach. Paired with black jeans that were torn on the jeans, his outfit was simple yet suited him completely.

Clary had no idea how long she had been stood there staring at him, but was broken from her thoughts as he laughed again. "You gonna let me in? I could give you a tour of the view you seem to be admiring." He winked at her with a cocky smirk, and she felt her expression widen in surprise as a blush crept onto her cheeks.

She coughed, embarrassed, wrapping her arms around herself as she looked up at him. "If I knew you'd be so easy then I would have taken advantage of when we were alone together before." She countered, referencing when they were in her apartment on Wednesday. Jace tilted his head slightly with an impressed look on his face.

"Feisty little Vixen, aren't you?" She could have sworn she saw a twinkle in his eye as he grazed past her into the apartment. He lowered his lips to her ear as he walked past, his breath against her skin making her shiver. "I like that."

She was immobilised in the door way for a moment, stuck between holding the door open and looking over her shoulder. Clary physically shook her head to bring her back to earth, shutting the door and heading back into the apartment.

Jace and Magnus had found themselves in the kitchen alongside Isabelle, all three sitting at the island in the centre of the room. Isabelle had roped Jace into talking more about the party, which made Clary roll her eyes. She continued walking past them and opened up the fridge to grab a bottle of water. "Nuh-uh!" Isabelle had slapped her hand away and shut the fridge before she could, making her yelp out in surprise. She glared up at the taller girl who appeared to be shoving a yellowish green drink in her face. She had no choice but to take it, or else she feared Izzy may have dropped it.

With a reluctant sigh she took a sip through the straw, almost choking on the strength. She heard Magnus and Jace laugh from behind her, and she looked up at Isabelle with an incredulous look. "What the hell is this?"

"Tequila, gin, vodka, and rum." She listed off with a casual shrug, taking a long sip of her own drink. Clary felt her face completely drop at that, and she looked at Magnus for back up. He had tears in his eyes as he looked away, hand clenched in his mouth as he tried to stop himself from laughing. Isabelle looked at the boys, confused. "What?"

"Isabelle, dearest," Magnus' voice was strained, and he coughed to clear his throat and steady it. He looked up at Isabelle with his lips in a tight line. "Dearest, Clary here doesn't have as high of an alcohol tolerance as you do. You're 5'10 and about 150 pounds, while she's barely 5 foot at 100 pounds. Two of those and she'll be done for."

"I'm 5 foot 1, I'll have you know!" Clary glared at him from across the island, placing the drink on the counter. He just gave her a disapproving look, as if he didn't believe her. "I am!"

"Of course you are, dear." He reached across to pat her hand condescendingly, and she quickly removed it to flip him off. He rose a hand to his chest in mock hurt, but Clary just ignored him.

Isabelle bumped her hip with her side, and gave her an apologetic look. "Sorry, I didn't think about that. You're alright for just one though, right?" Clary waved her off with a dismissive hand. She'd had her own fair of alcohol in her years, and she wasn't a complete lightweight like some people thought. She picked up her glass and took another sip pointedly to assure her that she was fine.

Eventually the group found themselves in Clary's living room, still talking about the party. Magnus and Isabelle were sat on the couch each with a drink in their hand. Jace sat on the table, while Clary rested on the windowsill with her half-empty drink besides her. She was pacing herself.

"So, are you bringing a date?" Isabelle leaned forwards in her seat towards Jace, twirling her second drink in her hand as she spoke. Jace arched a curious eyebrow.

"Date?"

"Yeah. Date." She rolled her eyebrows, as if it was obvious. "It's a party. Bring a date, party, go back to their place. I'm going with Simon." She shrugged, casually, her words forcing Clary to spit out the sip of her drink she had just taken. The whole room looked at her with confusion, and she covered her mouth and turned to Isabelle.

"Simon actually asked you out?" She glanced at Magnus out of the corner of her eye who seemed slightly curious himself. Simon was too shy to ask anybody out, not to mention how in love with Clary he was. As much as he tried to deny it, everybody knew it. Ever since they were in middle school together he had been attached to her side more than just in a best-friend way. It wasn't until sophomore year when he finally asked her out that she realised to what extent his feelings reached. They tried dating, but Clary could never bring herself to feel anything more for him than like a brother. He tried to act okay with it, but almost a year later and it was still evident the feelings were there.

Isabelle just shrugged with lips pursed, indifferent to the situation. "Well, I asked him out, really. But I'm sure he would have if I gave him more time."

"I'm absolutely delighted that you and Sylvester are getting along, Izzy." Magnus reached a hand across to pat her on the shoulder lightly, leaning forwards himself. "However I think my date tops yours." His eyes darted to Clary with a slight glint in his eye, and she knew he was keeping something from her.

"You never told me you had a boy toy!" She gasped, placing her drink besides her and resting her elbows on her knees. "Who is it?"

"Well, I never kiss and tell." He rolled his eyes, knowing how much of a lie that was. "But if you must know, it's that blue eyed angel you introduced me to. I think he's related to dearest Izzy here."

"You're going with my brother?" Isabelle seemed ecstatic at that, and was very upright in her posture at the news. "That's brilliant! We've been trying to get Alec into a relationship for _years,_ but he's always too focused on his work to focus on someone else." Clary looked at Magnus through furrowed brows, a silent warning being communicated through her expression. She knew what Magnus was like when it came to dating, and to say he was a serial dater was an understatement. She hoped poor Alec wouldn't be left heartbroken after the night was over.

"What about you?" Jace was directing this question to Clary, who was slightly caught off guard by it. She hadn't even begun to think about a date. Originally her thoughts had gone to Sebastian, but that was definitely off the tables. Then she thought she would friend-date with Simon, but with him going with Isabelle it was clear that wouldn't be happening. Jonathan had invited Kaelie from Taki's, leaving her completely alone.

She shrugged and picked up her drink, poking it about with her straw. "I was just going solo. It's just a party, no big deal." She took a sip of her drink before placing it down besides her again, folding her arms in her lap as she leaned back against the window. Her eyes were still on Jace, who was looking at her with a calculating expression.

"Why don't you be my date?" Had she just heard right? Jace, the same Jace who Sebastian had thought was flirting with her, had asked her to be his date? Maybe there was something there that she just hadn't sensed before. He had definitely made her feel different, but she put that on it being a new person with new ways of talking with her.

Magnus clapped his hands, and Clary looked in his direction before she could give Jace an answer. "Brilliant. Jace and Clary will make the most adorable couple, well - besides from Alec and I of course." He took in a breath as he finished his sentence, an air of arrogance surrounding him that Clary could almost always sense. "Jonathan has his little blonde, and our young Simon has scored a date with somebody way out of his league." He flashed Isabelle a look of admiration, and Clary could tell that he had fallen in love with her look and attitude. It was like she was the female version of him. She never returned his gaze, however, giving Jace a disapproving glare.

"Looks like tomorrow will be perfect."

* * *

Somehow during Friday evening, Clary had been roped into allowing Magnus and Isabelle to make her over for the party the next day. She blamed it on the alcoholic beverage she had, though, it had only gotten her barely tipsy. Nothing enough to blame bad decision making on. Nevertheless, that was how she ended up sat on the end of the raven-haired girl's bed as she rummaged through her endless supply of clothing.

"What about this?" She held up some shiny black material in front of her face, and Clary pulled a face as she shrunk back. Isabelle rolled her eyes, throwing the dress into the growing pile of rejects. This had pretty much been the routine for the past half an hour. It wasn't that Clary hated Isabelle's clothing, it's just that they were either too slutty or not at all her style.

Clary watched as she pulled something out that seemed like it was just a tangle of strappy fabric. She was about to choke in disgust when she was saved by a knock at the door. "Halle-lu!" She opened the door and raised her hands dramatically upon seeing Magnus, heading back over to the bed to fall face first onto it. "Magnus, please save me." She grumbled into the duvet, hearing him chuckle behind her.

Although Magnus _did_ love fashion, he was much more understanding to the style of the person he was dressing. He knew Clary's boundaries, and he knew what she liked, so she hoped she'd have better chances with him finding her an outfit.

Eventually they all agreed on an outfit, even if it was slightly more outlandish than what she was used to. She insisted that they let her get ready in her own apartment, which they happily agreed to. While Clary was showering at her place, Magnus was lounging about in her bedroom, and Isabelle was getting ready at her place.

It was 6pm by the time she stepped out of the shower, discovering Isabelle already having found her way over. She seemed stunning despite only taking thirty minutes to get ready, with a red corset top and black leather trousers. Her heels were thigh-high and easily around six inches tall, making her stand at 6ft 4. As if she wasn't tall enough as it was.

Still wrapped with a towel around her waist, the taller girl shoved her in a chair at her vanity and began working her makeup magic. She allowed Clary's hair to airdry as she worked after the red head insisted it was much more manageable that way. Magnus stood to the side for the most part during this process except for the odd interjection of what would suit Clary's complexion better.

Clary had tried to turn herself around to look in the mirror once Isabelle claimed her makeup was done, but she earned a soft smack on her wrist. "Not yet! We still have to do your hair."

They both worked on her hair since it was such an unwielding force. She was being pulled in every direction and being constantly stabbed with pins and grips. Despite her attempts to let her just wear her hair naturally down, which got her an angry scolding from Magnus, they managed to style her hair in a voluptuous pony tail near the base of her neck, with several curly strands framing her face.

The demonic duo still refused to let her see herself until she got changed, which she did so in the privacy of her bathroom. The skirt was a little tight around the waist due to it not being elasticated, but it wasn't so bad that she was in pain or out of breath.

Isabelle gave her some chunky heeled ankle boots once she came out, completing her look. "You ready to see yourself?" Clary wasn't sure if she should be scared or excited for what the outcome would be. She didn't feel entirely different to her normal self, yet she knew that she would still look different. With a deep breath she nodded, slowly walking in front of the mirror.

She let out a soft gasp and brought her hand up to her mouth, speechless as she took in her appearance. Her face was flaw-free yet still looked natural, the freckles which scattered across her nose and cheeks still being prominent. Subtle hints of purple on her eyes really enhanced her emerald green eyes, and the cat-eyeliner took away the childish doe-eyes look she usually had and replaced it with a more womanly, sultry appearance. Her makeup was completed with a nude lip, and she couldn't help but notice what an incredible job Isabelle had done.

Magnus' contribution of the outfit really was the biggest shock to her, however. She wore a leather skater skirt that had a thick band around about her belly button with a long-sleeved, high-neck, green crop top. The high neck was something Clary had asked for since it would hide the remaining shadows of her bruising. Though it wasn't turtle-neck sweater high, it was about half an inch. The outfit, paired with new accentuated undergarments, gave her a body that she never knew she had. Boobs were there where they hadn't been before, and the skirt gave her hips that she wasn't used to seeing. Without fear of feeling big-headed, she knew she looked amazing.

"Thank you." She spun around on her heels to face Isabelle and Magnus who were looking at her with pride and admiration. She walked up to each of them and gave them a tight hug, feeling somewhat guilty for ever doubting them.

* * *

Jace was sat in Clary and Jonathan's apartment, patiently waiting for his date to exit her room. A part of him dreaded what Isabelle was doing to her in that room, but a part of him was thrilled to see what she would look like with a bit of Isabelle glamour. Not that she needed it, of course - Jace's comment back at Taki's of how beautiful she was was entirely true. He glanced around the room at the other people who appeared to be waiting for their dates, and thought about how many people were under one roof.

Alec was there, dressed in a black button up and fitted black slacks, waiting for Magnus who was also making Clary over. Jonathan was there with his date, Kaelie, who was sat obnoxiously on his lap. Jace couldn't notice but how desperate she appeared, constantly twirling his hair and shoving her overly exposed breasts in his face. As much as he liked an easy catch, girls like Kaelie were just too trashy even for him. Simon was also there, leaning against the island in the kitchen with his arms folded. He was wearing some star wars shirt and blue jeans, and Jace couldn't help but scrutinise him. He didn't look like he made much of an effort. Actually, it looked like he made no effort.

He was about to silently insult ratboy even more when the sound of a door opening caught everybody's attention. Isabelle came out first, squealing painfully as she skipped her way over to Simon. She grabbed his hands and wrapped them forcefully around her waist, leaning forwards to give him a kiss on the cheek. Jace laughed at how forceful she was, but made no comment. Magnus appeared next, swiftly making his way over to Alec, who blushed at his sparkly appearance. "It appears I am under dressed." He commented, and Magnus shook his head with a small smile.

"Don't be ridiculous, you look absolutely perfect." Speaking of perfect-.

Clary was the last to walk out of the bedroom, and Jace couldn't help but stare at her. He had never pegged Clary for the type of girl to show so much of her body off, especially after everything she had gone through with Sebastian, but he also realised how much it suited her. She walked with an air of confidence as she made her way into the living room, which Jace had to admit was pretty sexy.

She smiled coyly in his direction, before their gaze was cut off by Jonathan approaching her. Apparently he had tossed Kaelie to the seat next to him as soon as he saw his little sister, and made a beeline straight for her.

"Jesus Christ, Clary, since when do you have these type of clothes in your wardrobe?" He was tugging down the hem of her skirt, which in reality wasn't even that short - it reached just a little over the middle of her thighs. She gasped and slapped him, mumbling something about how the leather was constricting him from tugging it down further.

Jace rose to his feet and cleared his throat pointedly, making Jonathan step to the side. "I for one, think you look stunning." That comment made her blush and look to the floor, which in turn made him break out into a victorious smirk. He loved making her blush; it suited her. "Although," he dragged out the word as he made his way closer to her, never breaking their gaze.

Their bodies were impossibly close, and he swore he could smell the strawberry scent of her shampoo. He brought his hand up to around the back of her head, eyes still focused on his as he expertly pulled the hair tie out of her hair. Her curls cascaded down her back and forwards across her shoulders, completing the look.

His voice was slightly strained when he spoke, being caught off guard by the events he had caused. "Perfect."

* * *

 _Apologies if the final two scenes don't completely match with the first two. They were both just too short for my liking to be put into two individual chapters, so I decided to put them into a super chapter._


	9. Partying Until Dawn

**Chapter Nine - Party Hard**

 _Chapter Songs;_

 _Scene One; We Turn It Up - Oh Land  
Scene Two; The Wolf - Miniature Tigers  
Scene Three; Shut Up And Dance - Walk The Moon  
Scene Four; Raise Your Glass - P!nk_

* * *

It was a rather long and awkward ride to get to Pandemonium, to say the least. Simon had offered to be the designated driver since he wasn't planning on drinking much, so all of us tagged along in his van. Clary remembered how two summers ago she and Jonathan helped refurbish what once was Simon's old band van, giving it a new spruce of paint and some comfy seats in the back of it.

Now, Isabelle sat in shotgun, while the rest sat in the back. Jonathan and Kaelie sat in the first row of three with Magnus sat awkwardly on the end, desperately turning himself as much as the space would allow so that he could look back at Alec, Clary, and Jace. He was constantly making faces of disgust as Kaelie continuously draped her legs over Jonathan's lap and attempted to suck his face off, much to his dismay. Clary just giggled to herself at his predicament, oddly content with her own situation.

She was leaning slightly into Jace's side, though it wasn't entirely on purpose, with his hand resting lightly on her knee. Whether it was a conscious or subconscious movement, Clary didn't know, but what she did know was that his touch on her direct skin sent shivers through her entire body.

Magnus was definitely the most relieved when they got to the club, and Clary wasn't even sure the van had stopped by the time he had duck and rolled out of it. Alec laughed softly as he pushed Magnus' seat forwards to climb out, Jace quickly behind him. He turned and held out a hand for Clary to help her out of the car, which she took gratefully. His other hand went to her waist as he lifted her out of the van, earning him a small squeal of surprise from the redhead once she was back on the ground. He flashed her a devilish smirk before linking their hands together.

With Magnus being in their party, the entire group got into the club without even having to show their ID, which was a first for Clary. Magnus hung behind a little bit to talk to the man on the door, and Alec muttered something about meeting him inside. The place was already full with people, most of which Clary recognised as the guests they'd invited, while a few must have been their plus ones.

Alec remained near the door and Jonathan found himself immediately being dragged away to the dance floor by Kaelie, while the rest went to the open bar, Clary smiling with a small wave when she saw her fellow college friend, Maia, behind it. "Hey, girl!" The darker-skinned called out when she saw her, leaning over the bar as best she could to give Clary a tight hug. "You look stunning! Who must I thank to finally get you all dolled up?" Clary laughed with a shake of her head, nodding over towards Isabelle.

"Maia, this is my friend Izzy. Izzy, Maia." The two girls shook hands across the bar with a grin, before Clary placed a hand on Jace's arm. "And this is my date, Jace." Maia's eyebrows raised slightly at the word 'date', and Clary watched as she not-so-subtly eyed him up and down the best she could from where she was stood. She gave her friend a wink, as if to say 'good job', before shaking his hand as well.

"Okay, pleasantries aside, tonight I am here as your fabulous yet completely professional bartender." Maia flicked her hair over one shoulder pointedly, grinning at the entire group. "What can I get y'alls?" Isabelle got one of the most alcoholic specials, Jungle Juice, Simon stuck with coke, Jace got a Manhattan, while Clary got a Strawberry Daiquiri. Isabelle also insisted they all got a round of shots, as a way to kick off the night.

"To new friends." She called out as she lifted her shot, gesturing for everybody to do the same. They clinked their glasses together and cheered together as a group, before downing their shots.

"To new friends!"

* * *

Over the course of the night, the group had split up even further to hang with their own dates. The occasional person would approach Jace and Clary, mostly Clary, to say 'hello' and tell her what an amazing party it was. She would always be modest, insisting most of it was Magnus and Isabelle's doing. Jace didn't doubt that they both played a major part in the realisation of the party since it was evident they each had their own flairs in the drinks, entertainment and decoration, but he also knew that Clary spent hours bickering with the pair on even the smallest of details. Anybody brave enough to pick a fight with Isabelle was a hero in Jace's books.

Currently he sat at the bar with Clary on the stool besides him. At some point during their conversation he had hooked his hand under her chair and pulled her more towards him, having had an overwhelming urge to have her closer. Now, she sat with her legs crossed, her leg bouncing happily and occasionally grazing his own as it went. The subtle touching was enough to mean Jace had to force back a smirk, not wanting to give anyone a reason to make fun of him.

"So, why me?" The question coming from Clary's lips was a surprise, and somewhat vague in Jace's eyes. He watched as she took her second drink her hands, swirling it around with the straw before taking a sip.

"Why you what?" He furrowed his brows.

"Why'd you ask me as your date?" Her tone of voice was rather neutral, which made Jace wary of how she was meaning to present the question. Was she offended? Did she think he asked her because he had no other choice? Because that was definitely not the case.

He pursed his lips thoughtfully and tilted his head slightly to the side. "Little Vixen getting self conscious?" He teased with a playful smirk, and he watched as Clary rolled her eyes.

"Right, I forgot. You're in love with yourself." She fired back, and he gasped in mock horror.

"I'll have you know _everyone_ is in love with me. My narcissism is justified, your hesitation is not."

That got him another eye roll from her. "Of course they are, _Casanova._ I'm sure every girl is just swooning at your feet." Jace would have made another sarcastic comment at that, except for the fact it was almost entirely true. Up until Clary, he had never had a problem with girls throwing themselves at him. Clary was much more reserved with that front, the only glimmer of her emotions towards him being when he managed to make her blush. "Anyway, you're skirting the question. Why me?"

With a small sigh, Jace leaned forwards and rested his arm on the bar as he turned to face her. Truth be told, he wasn't entirely sure 'why her'. She wasn't exceptionally beautiful, nor outlandish; but she was captivating nonetheless. There was a charm about her that consumed him the moment he laid eyes on her, and he couldn't seem to get enough of her. "Honestly, you're just nothing like any girl I've met before." And that was the truth. She was utterly unique. "You're utterly impossible to read, and I wanted to get to know you better. See what's under that Vixen-like exterior."

She shuffled about in her seat at that, and Jace wondered if something he said upset her. He hoped that wasn't the case - she asked, and he just wanted to be truthful. His worries were sat at bay when he looked up and smiled at her though, and placed her hand on top of his. "Thank you." She whispered, and he took her hand in his to kiss her knuckles, never looking away from her glorious emerald eyes.

"Now, enough with the sappy stuff." He sat up straighter and called over the bartender to get them more drinks, deciding they were way too sober for the time it was. "Another Manhattan for me, and for the lady," he turned to Clary with raised eyebrows, silently questioning if she wanted another Daiquiri or was switching her liquors up.

"I'll actually have a... Suck, Bang, and Blow." She bit her lower lip as she coyly read off the drink, and Jace's breath caught in his throat, causing him to cough into hand. He had _not_ been expecting something like that to come out of her mouth. And now, after that comment, he didn't even want to think about her mouth...

Maia nodded and walked to get their drinks ready, while Jace downed the final bit of his last drink in an attempt to hide the emotions radiating from him, which were a mixture of awkwardness, shock, and pure _want_ for Clary.

* * *

The conversation between Clary and Jace flowed perfectly as they sat at the bar, despite the awkwardness beforehand from Clary's bold beverage order. They spoke about anything and everything they could think about, between their hobbies, their majors at University, childhood pets, idols, and everything in between.

Clary was sipping at her drink when a thought came to Jace's mind, and he found himself glancing around at the room. The dance floor was full, but not so full that he wouldn't consider dragging a certain redhead up there with him. And that's exactly what he planned on doing.

He picked the glass out of her hand and placed it on the bar, making her whine and pout in protest. He couldn't help but chuckle at her, having sensed she was slowly becoming more tipsy with each drink. Without a word, he took her hand like he had before, and gently - yet forcefully - pulling her to the dance floor.

They were right on the edge by the time she realised where they were going, and she shook her head and pulled her hand out of Jace's and placed it on her stomach. "Nuh-uh, I don't dance."

"Sure you do." Jace grinned, stepping close to her and pressing his hands on both of her hips. He gazed down at her with a dark gaze, pulling her closer to his body. "Everyone can dance. They just need the right leader."

He backed up onto the dance floor with her, finding that she was mostly following him on her own accord. Jace appreciated that, though he knew he wouldn't force her if she really didn't want to dance.

Once they made their way to the centre, Clary seemed to relax a little more, allowing her body to sway to the beat of the music. She wrapped her arms around the back of his neck as he pulled her impossibly close, one hand stretching across the small of her back. He found himself burying his face into the curls clustered at her neck, and took in a deep breath. She smelt utterly fantastic, and he knew that he was completely hooked. Whether it was her shampoo, her perfume, or simply just _her,_ Jace couldn't help but compare it to a drug. He just wanted more.

He slowly raised his face to skim his nose up along her throat, skirting across her jaw, then moving completely upwards to nudge her nose with his own. He swore he could hear her breath hitch in her throat at their close proximity, and Jace closed his eyes. Their lips were dangerously close, and just one slightest movement could give him what he was dying for ever since he saw her walk out of her bedroom.

"Clary!" An unfamiliar voice brought them away from their private moment, and Jace silently cursed himself for not acting faster. He loosened his grip on her body and stepped back, allowing her her own space after such an intense moment. He saw her swallow, before she turned her head to search for who had called her name.

A silver-haired boy seemed to appear threw the crowd, and Jace watched as a smile appeared on her lips. "Jem!" She called with excitement, breaking away from Jace to bring the tall, lean boy into an embrace. He appeared to be a couple inches taller than Jace, and held himself very proudly even when bending down to hug Clary at her own height. He felt a sudden pang of emotion in his stomach, and he had to resist the urge to pull Clary away from him.

He made the couple steps forwards to stand besides the redhead just as they broke away, though she was still smiling up at him. "I haven't seen you in absolute months, and I'm so happy you came!"

"I'm so happy you remembered me after all this time." He flashed her a toothy grin, the British accent he held being much more prominent than Jace had first realised. "Will's here with Tessa, and we were just about to do body shots. I happen to remember they were some of your favourites." He winked at her suggestively, causing her to blush and glance to the side. Jace's hands balled into fists at his side, not liking the arrogance in the air with this guy around.

Clary turned around to face him, placing a hand on his arm. That caused him to break his glare away from 'Jem', and softened it as he looked at Clary. "Jace, this is my friend Jem. Jem, meet Jace." She was pleasant as always when introducing them, but he couldn't help but be hostile as the newcomer outstretched his hand to him.

After a moment of awkwardness when Jace never took it, he nodded with lips in a tight line before dropping it to his side. He shoved both hands into his pockets, before turning back to Clary. "Well, what do you say? Body shots?" She was still looking towards Jace, her expression caught between scrutinising and questioning.

"Wanna come with?" She asked in a small voice, hesitant to ask him. He thought about it for a moment, before looking down at her and shaking her head.

"They're your friends, I wouldn't want to spoil it." He explained, rubbing her shoulder comfortingly to assure her that she didn't do anything wrong. "You go catch up with them, I think I'm gonna go find Alec." She nodded at that, seeming somewhat content with that answer.

Just as she was about to follow Jem, Jace caught her wrist, pulling her towards him. He ducked his head down and left a lingering kiss on her cheek, feeling the heat radiating from her. He smirked as he pulled away, flashing her a look which he knew would captivate her. "See you later."

* * *

Clary was having the time of her life by the time Jem took her to where Will and Tessa were waiting, especially when it turned out Jonathan was there as well. Apparently he had managed to ditch Kaelie earlier on in the night, faking going to the toilet when in reality he was actually making a run for it.

"Come on, Clary, your turn!" Tessa was clapping her hands together and lightly pushing on the redhead, urging her towards where two circular tables were lined up side by side. Clary whined in protest, before Will eventually whisked her off her feet and placed her on the table himself. She squealed as he laid her down on her back, hitting his chest several times as he backed off.

"You'll thank me later!" He called over the music with a wink as the other three made their way over, and Clary leaned flat against the table.

She made sure to lay still as Tessa set up the shot, placing a line of salt on the skin between her waistband and crop top first. She filled a double shot of tequila up and placed it just above that line, before placing a slice of lime in her mouth.

Clary had to restrain herself from laughing once she stepped back, before feeling a body slowly climbing over her. She squealed into the lime out of excitement, glancing down to see Jem army crawling his way up her body. Her stomach tensed up as he licked the line of salt, spilling a couple of drops from the shot glass accidentally. He swiftly wrapped his lips around the said shot glass and tipped his head back, downing it in one before spitting the glass to the side onto one of the chairs, making the last length of the journey up her small body.

He smirked deviously as he leaned down and bit into the lime in her mouth, and she felt his lips graze hers as he pulled away. He shook his head as he sucked on the lime, before sitting back on his knees and taking it out. He let out a cheer of joy, while Clary giggled beneath him, with Tessa and Will clapping. Jonathan looked slightly uncomfortable after watching somebody crawl up his little sister in such a sexual way, but he didn't make a comment.

Jem took Clary's hand in his and pulled her up into a sitting position as he climbed off the table. She was still giggling, wiping the excess lime juice from her lips as she pulled herself off the table. She stumbled a little once her feet touched the ground, but luckily Jem was there to catch her waist and elbow so she didn't fall. She just giggled at him, feeling the warm effects of all the alcohol wash over her. "You alright?" He grinned at her with an incredulous look, and she just nodded.

Clary leaned up towards him and he leaned down to meet her half way as he shouted over the music and into his ear. "I'm gonna go get some fresh air! I'll be back in a minute!" Jem stood up straight and nodded, giving her a light pat on the shoulder as she stumbled her way out out of the club.

With some difficulty she eventually found her way outside, the instant hit of fresh air almost knocking her off her feet. She took a deep breath in before sighing in relief, leaning up against the wall besides the back door. She grinned to herself as she closed her eyes let her head flop back, feeling absolutely ecstatic.

"Clarissa." A voice sent chills up her spine, and the grin instantly faded from her face. She scrunched her eyes up tightly as if that would make the person go away, quietly mumbling to herself 'please don't be real, please don't be real' over and over again.

The coldness from the breeze was cut off as a warm body stood in front of her, and she felt herself completely flinch. She lifted her head up straight ahead painfully slowly, wishing that they would just disappear. The nightmare became real once she opened her eyes, and she sucked in a sharp breath.

" _Sebastian_."

* * *

 _DUN DUN DUUUUUN! I'm not sorry for the cliffhanger, but I assure you that you will not have to wait too long. Once again thank you for all the loving reviews you've left, it fills my heart with joy._


	10. Lightening Never Strikes Twice

**Chapter Ten - Lightening Never Strikes Twice**

 **WARNING: The beginning of this chapter may contain content some readers may find distressing.**

 _Chapter Songs;_

 _Scene One; Possession - Sarah McLachlan  
Scene Two; Aftermath - Vancouver Sleep Clinic_

* * *

What once was cool, fresh air, had turned sour and humid with Sebastian's present. Clary automatically felt herself shudder as she looked away from the 6 foot 4 boy, feeling considerably smaller than usual. She wasn't sure if the shudder was from the alcohol, the outside air, or fear of Sebastian. Maybe it was a combination of all three.

She felt his tight grip on her chin as he forced her head up to look at her, and she obeyed reluctantly. The look on his face was one that made Clary scared, the dark lull of lust and control dancing within his eyes. It made her want to cry out, rip her chin from his grip and run away - but she knew it would be useless. She wasn't strong enough to fight him off, and she probably wasn't fast enough either. She'd seen the speed and the damage he could do on the lacrosse field, and she was no match to that.

He leaned down closer to her, slowly, stopping when his face was tilted slightly into the crook of her neck. She heard him take a deep breath which made her want to cringe away and hide. "You've been drinking." Clary could hear the smirk on his lips, though she made no move to answer him. "That makes my job easier, at least."

"Sebastian, please." She could hear how her own voice wavered, sounding smaller than she intended to. She wanted to sound brave and fearful, but she knew what he was capable of. "I'm sorry for how I acted before, but we just cannot be together. We're not good for each other."

" _We're not good for each other?_ " He growled, pulling back to look directly into her eyes. "Or _I'm_ not good for _you?_ " She clenched her eyes tightly shut and shook her head desperately, trying her best to appease him so that she could escape unscathed.

"That's not what I said, Seb." Clary tried to stand her ground a little firmer this time, her voice more confident. "Bad things happen when we're together, but it's not your fault or mine. We're just not meant to be together." A low growl rumbled in the bottom of his throat, and a fleeting thought crossed in Clary's mind. "How did you even get in here? This is a closed party."

"Turns out, your little black haired friend invited my cousin. Aline, her name is." That name meant nothing to Clary. She didn't know her, but she did know Isabelle invited a few of her own local friends. "She brought me as her plus one."

"You never should of came, Sebastian." Her voice broke, and she shook her head. "You don't belong here."

That seemed to fuel a fire within him, and Clary swore he could see his expression completely drop into something even darker - if that was even possible. Before she could do or say much else, his lips were on hers, forcing her head back to hit the wall rather painfully. She tried to keep her mouth tightly shut in hopes that he would give up, but that only made him angrier. His hands left her face and moved down to grab her hips painfully, pressing his own into hers and shoving her back against the wall at the same time. Clary involuntarily gasped in pain at this, which Sebastian took as his opportunity to advance.

He all but shoved his tongue into her mouth, his kiss hot and wet against her lips. She found everything about it disgusting, wanting nothing more than to shove him away. She pushed against his chest as best she could, but to no avail. He growled against her lips and grabbed her hands, placing them above her head an against the wall in just one of his.

"Stop resisting this, Clary." His voice was thick with desire for her against her lips, and she whimpered against his. "You know this is what you've been wanting for months. Ever since we started seeing each other." The hand that wasn't holding her wrists skirted down her entire body sleazily, and none too gently. His whole palm was spread as he ran it over her breasts, gliding down her side and across her stomach. She could feel his fingers playing with the waistband of her skirt, and she shook her head in protest.

"Please don't-" her pleas were cut shot by Sebastian forcing his mouth onto her once again, his hand moving away from the waistband to dart under the hem of it. She tried to scream against his lips as his hand skirted across her underwear, but she found her voice completely lost. She tried her best to clench her thighs together, but he forced them apart roughly with his knees as he chuckled sadistically against her lips.

"I've told you time and time again, Clarissa." He mumbled just above a whisper as his hands left her, moving to the top of his jeans as he began unbuttoning it. "You're _mine."_ Everything around her was beginning to blend into one as he continued to move against her, and she found herself almost completely without a will to fight back.

Sebastian's hand was back on her in a moment, and Clary found herself go completely limb against the wall; if it wasn't for his knee beneath her, and his hand holding her wrists above her head, she was certain she would have collapsed onto the floor.

This was it. There was nothing she could do to stop him. No force she could produce could force him off her, and no cries of protest could do it either. She was helpless, and was ready to accept what would come next.

But it never came. Just as Sebastian was leaning in to kiss her again, she felt an incredible weight being lifted from her, and she dropped to the ground. Clary cried out with a mixture of shock and joy as she hit the ground, surprisingly thankful for the hard gravel connecting with her body beneath her. At least that meant Sebastian was no longer holding her.

She was leaning forwards on her hands, and looked up and around to see where Sebastian had gone. She saw him laying on the ground as he spat up blood, rolling onto his side to look at her. He pushed himself up onto his elbows and looked up, which Clary also did. There was a figure standing above him, glowering down at him, and she recognised his angelic curls instantly.

He muttered something to the boy on the floor, who nodded cowardly. With some struggle, he pulled himself to his feet and ran off in the opposite direction, all the while with Jace staring after him.

As soon as he was out of his sights, Jace was instantly by Clary's side, crouching down on the filthy floor besides her. He reached out a hand as if to touch her, though pulled back hesitantly at the last second. "You're shaking." It wasn't a question or a statement, but more of an accusation. She looked down at her hands and saw that she was, in fact, shaking, more than she thought was possible. It was as if seeing the shakes made them more noticeable to her, because suddenly she could feel everything. They were wracking her entire body, and she was hyperventilating. She leaned back off her hands before collapsing into a sitting position, leaning up against the wall with her legs out stretched in front of her. She wrapped her arms around her torso as if that would help stop the shaking, turning her gaze to look at Jace. He looked as helpless as she felt.

"I need Jonathan." She squeaked out below even a whisper, and for a moment she wasn't even sure if he heard her. He gave her a silent confirmation by nodding, before darting quickly away from her.

She wasn't sure how long she sat there with her eyes closed. It could have been seconds, it could have been days. Although, realistically she knew it wasn't days, since the sky above her stayed dark as night was. It still felt like it could have been days, though.

Clary heard the sound of a door opening and closing besides her, and she opened her eyes to see a familiar mob of white hair engulfing her vision. "Jonathan." She gasped softly as her brother embraced her into a tight hug. She could feel his heart hammering against his chest, and she was sure he could feel hers as well.

"Sh, sh, I'm here, little sister." He cooed to her as he rubbed soothing circles on her back, calming her shakes slowly. She buried her face into the crook of his neck and took in his scent, the smell of alcohol being more prominent than anything else - but she didn't care. She just needed her brother. She felt the floor disappear from beneath her as Jonathan scooped her into his arms, though she was too tired to register anything. The gathering of a crowd around them, the not-so-quiet speculating of what happened. She didn't even notice the boy with the blond curls punching a wall, cursing her name under his breath.

* * *

The rest of the night - or I guess, morning, since it was almost 3am by the time they got home - was much of a blur to Clary. She remembered Jonathan taking Clary home in a taxi, sitting in the back with her the entire time as she said nothing but curled against him. She remembered being lifted out and taken into her apartment. She remembered Jonathan politely leaving her alone for a couple minutes so she could change into some pyjamas, before returning to her side almost immediately.

They had slept together in Clary's bed since he knew that was where she'd feel most comfortable, though she was surprised she managed to sleep at all. She thought she'd spend half the night tossing and turning with nightmares in her head, but was actually presented with the opposite. She slept soundly, not stirring once, not dreaming of a single thing. She just slept. And slept, and slept, and slept.

It was almost 6 in the evening by the time she had awoken from her slumber, feeling completely refreshed. She expected to feel exhausted and want nothing more than to curl in bed and cry, but she found herself wanting to actually get up and do something. She didn't want to let what happened the night before affect her as it did when Sebastian attacked her earlier on in the week. She didn't want to feel scared of him, but wanted to show him how strong she really was.

Still dressed in just a white tank top and purple shorts, she made her way out to the living room, where she was met with a sea of concerned faces. Jonathan's was the first that caught her eye as he was immediately approaching her, wrapping her in another one of his comforting hugs. She buried her face into his chest and took a deep breath in, content washing over her as she smelt the apple scent from his fresh clothes.

The room was silent as they stood in each others embrace, before he stepped away and kissed the top of her head. "How are you feeling?" His eyes were searching hers as he stood with his hands on her shoulders, and she shrugged slightly.

Truthfully, she was feeling really good. Maybe it was just her way of coping with what happened, if she pushed it to the back of her memory, but truth be told she didn't want to recall the exact details of it. Repressing it was as good a method as any of going on with her daily life, and that's what she was going to do.

"Honestly? Really good." She nodded with a genuine smile, only to earn a confusing look from Jonathan. She pulled away from his grip and walked past him further into the living room, surveying who was there. Which was practically everyone.

Simon and Isabelle were leaning against the island in the kitchen, he with his arm wrapped around Izzy's waist and she with her arms folded. Alec was sat on the edge of the sofa with his elbows on his knees, looking down at the floor while he rubbed his hands together, while Magnus sat at his side with one ankle propped on the knee of his other. He was leaning back with his arms on the couch rather casually, though his calculating cat eyes were examining her up and down thoroughly.

Jace was there, too, though he had his back turned to her. He was looking out at the fire escape by the television with his arms folded and his shoulders tensed up. Clary placed one of her hands in the other as she wrung them out nervously, looking around at everyone as they sat expectantly, waiting for her to talk.

"I'm okay." She breathed out with a sigh, and saw everyone relax almost instantly. "I'm really, really okay. I know I probably shouldn't be, but I am." She looked up to the side to see Jonathan stood besides her, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. She leaned into his body automatically, closing her eyes blissfully for a moment.

"I've already alerted the police." It was Simon who spoke, untangling himself from Isabelle as he stepped towards Clary. "They said they were willing to help you out so long as you contacted them directly and pressed ch-"

"I'm not pressing charges." Clary furrowed her brows at him as she cut her off, her words earning a silent gasp of shock from most people in the room. Jace had even turned around at this, looking at her with a face of pure shock.

Simon stumbled across his words as he tried to answer, clearly taken aback by what she said. "B-but Clary, I mean, the guy - Sebastian - he.. He tried to.. to rape you!" Clary saw Isabelle flinch at the word 'rape', and was sure she herself would have flinched if she hadn't already talked herself out of the word.

Sure, technically, if you wanted to put a label on it, that's what he did. He tried to force himself on her. But in the end, he didn't, thanks to Jace. She glanced up at him as her mind spoke his name, and she hoped he wasn't mad at her. Not only did she ditch him during the night, but she got herself into a trouble, forcing him to come to her rescue once again. They say that lightening never strikes twice, but clearly heroes do.

"I know, Si. But no good will come out of pressing charges." She sounded indifferent to the situation as she wrapped her arms around her torso, looking down at her feet as she prodded at the floor with her toe.

"No good?" It was Jace who spat out the words, his arms unfolding from across his chest and slapping against his sides dramatically. "I saw him fucking force himself onto you, Clary. He was shoving his hand down your pants, and I saw it. I am a witness, and with such a solid witness, as well as a history of violence against Sebastian, you could easily throw him into jail for several years."

"How do you know that Sebastian has a history of violence?" She stepped towards Jace with narrowed eyes, though he never backed down. He simply scoffed and stood up prouder.

"Of course that's what you'd pick up on in that sentence." He shook his head, before pointing towards Magnus. "Your little friend here told me, but not after I demanded information on Verlac." He stepped towards her as he spoke with his hands outstretched in front of him, almost pleading desperately. "He's assaulted you three different times, Clary. And you've never pressed charges. Not once! You've let him run amok, without ever paying the price for his crimes. That's not right!"

"Throwing him in jail isn't going to solve anything." Clary clenched her hand into a fist and brought it tightly to her side. "He's not a bad person, he's just made some mistakes. He doesn't deserve to be in jail."

"Made some-?" Jace looked bewildered by her statement, so bewildered that he couldn't even finish his sentence. He stepped back and ran his hands through his hair, pulling sharply at it with a quiet growl of frustration. She watched as he took a deep breath before turning back to look at her, his expression more collected than it was before.

"Look, Clary, I know I've not known you nor Sebastian long, but I also know that he _is_ a bad person." Clary was just about to say something, but he raised his hand to cut her off before she could. "You're so blinded by love for that disgusting creature that you can't see all the badness in his actions. Magnus told me he didn't like the kid, your brother admitted that he could be a bit of a dick. Why are you treating him like some kind of misunderstood kid?"

"I'm not!" She almost screamed at him as she flailed her hands about, before mimicking his actions as she ran her hands through her hair and turned away. "I know he's done some bad things, I know that. But he doesn't deserve to be in jail!" She enunciated every word of her final sentence as she turned back to look at him, her expression almost in pain. "Please, just let it drop, Jace. This is my decision, and I am deciding not to press charges."

Jace shook his head and looked at her with mild disgust, before dropping his gaze to look at the floor with a scoff. "You're making a bad decision, Vixen." Clary scowled at him and folded her arms, unsure of what else to say.

There was a moments hesitation when nobody said anything, and it was so quiet you could of heard a pin drop on the wooden floor. Clary was still looking in Jace's direction, but he refused to look at her. She watched as he glanced up at Isabelle, nodding after a silent conversation, before glancing back at Alec. His gaze was constantly darting between Jace, Clary, and Jonathan, and it was almost as if you could physically see the cogs in his mind working as he tried to say something.

"There's nothing I can do to change your mind, clearly." Jace brought her attention to him, and it was then that he looked directly at her. His golden eyes were piercing into her soul, and she felt weak. Just one simple look made Clary feel like he knew everything about her, and that he was reading her like an open book. His gaze was full of concern and sadness, but also fire and anger.

She expected him to say something else after that, but he didn't. He walked past her with a light shove against her shoulder, and she stumbled back slightly. It didn't hurt, but she still felt the need to place her hand where he had touched. It shocked her more than anything, and she watched as he stalked his way out of her apartment with a slam of the front door.

* * *

 _This chapter covered a very serious topic, and you may not agree with how 'Clary' is dealing with it, but I would like to remind you that this is purely a work of fiction and does not 100% convey my ideals or opinions on topics. If something as serious as what happened to 'Clary' happens to you, then I insist you deal with it in a way that suits you best. Don't keep it to yourself, is the one thing I will say, and make sure you try and tell someone._ _Stay safe.  
_

 _Somebody requested a chapter from Sebastian's point of view, so that is what chapter eleven shall be! Maybe some insight into Sebastian's mind will help you understand him a little more, though I cannot promise everything will be answered. Thank you for your continuous bouts of support, it means everything to me._


	11. Not Everything's Simple

**Chapter Eleven - Not Everything's Simple**

 _Chapter Songs;_

 _Scene One; Damaged - Adrian Lux  
Scene Two; Anchor - Novo Amor_

* * *

At three in the morning you'd expect the streets to be empty, at least in a typical city. Not in New York, though. That's why it's called The City That Never Sleeps. Even in the height of the night, pavements were lined with clubs that were illuminated and blaring music, the odd person was stumbling down the road, and taxis were driving past every so often. Usually Sebastian liked the hustle and bustle of the city, but this was a rare occasion that he wanted nothing more than to escape.

His night had been long and shitty, to say the least, and he was just thankful to be sat in a taxi that was taking him to his destination. His head was throbbing and his nose felt like it was broken. Not that it hurt exceptionally - he'd definitely had worse - it just wasn't how he expected his night to end. He expected it to end with a certain little red head in his arms, but those plans had been foiled early.

Sebastian's fists clenched in his lap as he thought about that blond, _Jace,_ and how he had stepped in to stop his plans. He wasn't supposed to be there - the door was locked, he had made sure of it. Nobody was to interrupt, nobody was to know what happened. He would have explained everything to Clary afterwards, how he just wanted to be with her, and he never meant to hurt her, that it was just one huge misunderstanding. Of course, not all of that was entirely truthful, but she wasn't that clever. She'd be none the wiser.

He tossed the driver two $20 notes once the taxi stopped, not bothering to take the change as he stepped out of the vehicle. He noticed the odd looks he was getting from the driver as he approached his rather 'odd' destination - or at least it was odd to an outsider - but paid no attention as he kept walking. Eventually he heard the the sound of the car backing away, and Sebastian kept on his way towards the run-down looking building.

It was large and extravagant, with evidence of it being left behind for decades. Nature had begun to reclaim what it once owned as the moss and trees grew around the castle-like structure, through broken windows and even completely sealing off doors. Inside, however, was a completely different matter.

The double oak doors opened with ease as Sebastian strode inside, and he found the entire entry hall way was illuminated with light. Somebody was awake at Renwick's, and he couldn't help but wonder who as he rounded his way towards the main kitchen.

Gone were any hints to the building's former occupants, having been home to thousands of patients back in the 1800s as a crazy bin, the entire place being refurbished to look more like a Gothic style house. The walls and floor were dark and bare with the exception to a couple of paintings and wall torches. The ceiling was high and held several chandeliers in the larger rooms such as the ballroom and living room, and the wards had been refurbished into dozens of bedrooms for those living there. Sebastian was one of those, and there were plenty others.

The culprit of who turned on the lights was revealed once Sebastian was inside the kitchen, the tall, muscular figure of his roommate, Samuel Blackwell, being hunched over the table in the centre. He had his hands wrapped around a mug which had steam rising out of it, and Seb assumed it was coffee - Blackwell wasn't much of a tea person.

The aforementioned man raised his gaze up to meet Sebastian's as he stalked in, and a humorless laugh escaped his lips. "Pretty face. Who kicked your ass this time?"

"Sebastian Verlac doesn't get his ass kicked, thank you very much." He hissed as he grabbed a bowl full of medicine from one of the cupboards next to the sink, throwing it none too carefully onto the side as he began looking for what he needed. Technically, he was right in what he was saying - nobody had ever physically kicked him in his derriere, but he also knew that wasn't what Blackwell meant.

Samuel just scoffed, taking a sip of his coffee as he watched the younger scurry across to the freezer like a chicken without its head. "I take it things didn't go to plan?" He didn't sound like he was teasing him this time, but was genuinely curious.

Sebastian threw an ice pack over to besides the kitchen sink and threw the freezer shut dramatically before turning to him. "You fucking think?" He was pissed, to say the least, as he stormed over to run a flannel under the hot tap and spoke. "I was so fucking close to having her, when some petty little boy stepped in the way." He grabbed a spoon and looked at his reflection on the back as he dabbed at the dried blood under his nose.

"I thought you said you'd take care of that." Samuel narrowed his eyes.

"I thought I did! I locked the door, security was blocking the only other entrance. There was no possible way for anything to have spoiled it." He tossed the flannel into the bin once he was done and grabbed the ice pack, pressing it to his nose as he went and sat opposite Blackwell. "Clearly he must have picked the lock or something. How was I supposed to anticipate that?"

Samuel looked more sympathetic at this, and he nodded and dropped his gaze to his mug. It was true. Sebastian had done everything he was supposed to do, taken every precaution necessary to make sure everything went smoothly. He knew he was stronger than Clary, so her fighting back wouldn't have been a problem. Nobody was supposed to be there. How was he to know that somebody would know to pick the lock and come out there, just as everything was falling into place? It was just his luck.

"You're gonna be a laughing stock when the rest of the guys find out." Samuel said, again without mocking him, just a general statement. "Couldn't even best an eighteen year old girl."

"I bested her alright, so don't you dare go around saying I didn't." He spat out at the older man, glaring at him as he placed the ice pack on the table. He paused for a moment before Blackwell eventually looked away. Sebastian laughed quietly in victory, before placing the ice pack back on his face. "Besides," his glare was dark as he stared off into the distance, his mind already thinking of how to overcome the events of the night. "I don't plan on giving up."

* * *

It was the morning after Jace had stormed out of Clary's apartment in a rage, and nobody had seen him since - not even Alec or Isabelle. She tried not to worry too much about him as she sat sketching on her bed, but she couldn't help it every time her thoughts drifted to her knight in shining armour.

Twice, now, he had saved her from Sebastian. Twice he had caught her in a fragile state, and twice she was happy he had. She hadn't gotten to thank him for the second time, though, having been too frustrated at his words about Sebastian.

Deep down, she knew he was right. Sebastian's actions couldn't be justified, no matter how hard she tried, yet she just couldn't bring herself to go to the police about it. She cared about him, whether she ought to or not. She did. And she couldn't harm somebody she cared about.

Those golden eyes shone back at her from the page on her sketchpad, and she sighed. They were the only things she could seem to draw all morning, and it was beginning to get to her. They weren't the playful, cocky ones she had drawn before, but were the ones full of anger and hurt that she saw before he left that previous evening. They were etched into her memory, and now, the pages, almost half a dozen completely identical drawings of them scattering it in various sizes. She was lost in them.

A light knock at her bedroom door alerted her attention, and she looked up as Simon poked his head through. "Knock knock, Jehovah's Witness!" He joked, his voice mimicking that of a higher pitched southerner. She giggled, motioning for him to come in.

"Si, that's offensive." She teased, though she wasn't offended herself. She had no religion.

He just shrugged, sitting himself down on the end of her bed. "I'm Jewish, so it's allowed."

"How does that make sense?" She furrowed her brows at him, not understanding the connection at all.

"People confuse Jewish people with Jehovah's Witnesses all the time, so." Clary still didn't understand what that had to do with anything, but was distracted by another presence at her bedroom door before she could say anything.

"Jonathan?" She cast her gaze between the two boys as her brother welcomed himself into her room, shutting the door behind him before leaning up against it. "Come on in, I guess. Looks like there's a party in my room." Clary laughed softly as she placed her book besides her, crossing her legs Indian style as she faced the pair. Both of them were looking at her rather seriously, Simon having dropped his joking nature after Jonathan entered. She leaned away slightly, taken aback. "Why do you both look like parents coming to give their child the, 'I'm not mad, just disappointed' talk?"

"I'm not mad, Clarissa, just-" Simon leaned forwards and placed a hand on her knee as he spoke, but she quickly swatted him around the head with one of her pillows, swiftly cutting him off. "Ow! That hurt!" He rubbed at his head and leaned away from her, and she rolled her eyes.

"I'm serious, Si!"

"And I'm serious too, Clary!" He glared at her. "I think I've got a concussion."

She threw the entire pillow at his face at that, with as much force as she could muster. It was enough to knock him backwards and onto the floor with a surprisingly loud 'thud'. He cried out in fake pain - or maybe it was real pain this time - while Clary diverted her gaze to her brother, awaiting an answer.

He took a deep breath as they looked at each other, before making it to her side in two short strides. He sat besides her on the bed with his feet still on the floor, taking both of her hands in his. "Look, Clary. You know we love you, right?" She looked at him, confused, but nodded nonetheless. "And you know that we only want what's best for you, right?" She nodded again, and he let out a sigh and closed his eyes. Whatever he was about to say look liked it was physically hurting him, and Clary didn't like that.

She pulled one of her hands out of his and placed it reassuringly on his shoulder, shaking him lightly. "Hey, Jon. What is it? You can tell me." He shook his head once at that and his face clenched up, before he looked back up at the redhead.

"Simon and I think you should _really_ consider pressing charges against Sebastian." He let out with a breathy voice, and Clary flinched back in shock. She wasn't expecting this. She thought that they knew she wasn't going to be pressing charges - she'd made herself pretty clear on that front. She pulled both her hands away from him and leaned back on them, shuffling slightly away from her brother. This startled him. "I'm not forcing you to do anything, Clary!" His voice was full of assurance as he outstretched his hands to her, before clenching them and dropping them to his lap. "We just think it's the best for you."

Clary said nothing for a moment, looking down at Jonathan's hands with narrowed eyes. She knew they were just looking out for her, but she also knew she couldn't bring herself to betray Sebastian. She looked up at Simon, who had gotten to his feet by this point and was standing with his hands in his pocket as he kicked at something on the ground. "Si?" Her voice was smaller than she intended it to be, and he looked over at her. "Do you really think that's what is best for me?"

Simon hesitated for a moment, before nodding. His voice was almost as quiet as hers when he spoke. "He hurt you, Clary. Multiple times, from what Magnus has told us, and you never told us once. Not once!" He looked pained and betrayed at that, and he looked down at his feet. "I'm supposed to be your best friend, and you didn't even tell me."

"Simon-" she was about to plead with him, but cut herself off when no words came to mind. What could she say? She didn't tell him because she knew he would react in a way that would end up getting himself hurt, and she didn't want that. She wanted to tell him every single time, but she was too scared of his reaction. That's why she turned to Magnus, for his wise and level-headed response. She dropped her own gaze to the bed. "I'm sorry."

Nobody spoke for a long time, and you could almost sense the awkwardness in the air. Clary wanted to say something, but she didn't know what. She really was sorry for keeping it a secret from Simon _and_ Jonathan, and nothing she could do could fix the fact that she'd lied to them, and hid something so important. They really were just looking out for her.

"I get that you don't want to hurt him, Clary." It was Jonathan that broke the silence, and she turned to look up at him. "I wouldn't want to hurt him, either. He's my _best friend,_ for Angel's sake." He laughed, though there was no humour in it. He looked broken as he looked down at Clary's bedsheets. "Or at least he was. I can never forgive him for what he did to you, Clary." He looked up at her and slowly reached out to place a hand on her cheek. She leaned in to his touch and closed her eyes with a sigh. "If you don't want to press charges, then I'll understand. But I can't promise I won't act if I see him."

"Jonathan-" she reached up to wrap a hand around his wrist at that as her eyes darted open, but he held her firm.

He shook his head as he cut her off. "I swear, Clary. You may not send him to prison for his actions, but I swear, he will still pay for them." He looked like he was on the edge of tears as his piercing black eyes stared into hers, searching for an answer. She knew that there was no way she could convince him not to hurt Sebastian, especially when he seemed so intent on it already. She took a deep breath before nodding, closing her eyes once again. She felt Jonathan lean forwards and press his lips to her forehead, before pulling her into a tight embrace.

Simon coughed awkwardly to himself, and Clary opened her eyes to look at him. "I'll just leave," he pointed to the door with his thumb. "Leave you two siblings to hug it out."

"Get over here, you geek." She didn't let him get further then a step away before she reached out and grabbed the back of his shirt, pulling him back. He stumbled dramatically onto the bed, making Jonathan and Clary both laugh, before Clary wrapped her other arm around him. He reciprocated it with the same enthusiasm, before ruining the moment by poking at her side.

She squirmed away with a sharp yelp, and Jonathan pulled away with a knowing shake of his head and began heading out the room. Simon tickled her again, and she fell back onto the bed in an attempt to get away from him. "Simon, no!" She pleaded, but it was fruitless, as he had already wrapped both his arms around her waist and began tickling either side. She thrashed about on the bed half-screaming, half laughing, as she tried to push him off.

Eventually she managed to grab one of her pillows and began wacking him on the head with it repeatedly, until he finally got the message and backed off. "Ow, ow, ow!" He cried out as she kept hitting him even though he had stopped, before he completely jumped off the bed. "Easy, tiger, I stopped!"

She threw her pillow full force at him once again, but luckily he caught it this time, looking over the top of it and sticking his tongue out at her. She did the same gesture, grabbing yet another pillow and aiming for his face. He blocked it with the one he was already holding, before hurriedly heading towards the door. He quickly threw the pillow in her general direction without looking and ran out of the room, closing it just as that same pillow somehow boomeranged back and hit the back of the door.

* * *

 _Shorter chapter than usual, but I thought this was a good stopping place. What did y'alls think about Sebastian's point of view? Was it what you expected, or have more questions been raised? Let me know! I hope this answered some of your confusions about Clary's feelings with the situation with Sebastian, though feel free to let me know if you have more. Love you!_


	12. Opportunities

**Chapter Twelve - Opportunities**

 _I'm so sorry for being so absent the past week or so; as I said in a mini update, I'm currently on holiday, without much internet. I've been writing and writing and writing in preparation to post consistently once I do have internet, which is why you'll be seeing this when you're seeing this. I am so sorry for disappearing, I promise you I am not abandoning this fic and I am working my ass off to keep chapters rolling. Thank you for all your support, you guys are amazing. I love you!_

 _Chapter Songs;_

 _Scene One; Here Comes A Thought - NateWantsToBattle  
_ _Scene Two; Photograph - Nickelback  
_ _Scene Three; The Wandering - Shadow of the Colossus Soundtrack_

* * *

Monday morning, Clary was back in class. She was excited to be back, in reality, since she was doing something she genuinely enjoyed. Sitting at home got boring after a while - though she wasn't the type of person who got bored quickly - wanting nothing more than to get some work done.

She was in her _Drawing II_ class, which was probably her favourite. The teacher was rather relaxed when it came to demanding specific things from the students, so Clary found it much easier to be creative. She could draw whatever she felt like drawing which, in this case, was an angel.

He was emerging from what appeared to be water, his lower half being engulfed in the splash while his upper half was completely bare. Upon the muscular shape of his chest was a translucent symbol that Clary had seen in an old Art History book that meant 'Angelic Power'. One arm was outstretched to the side with a golden chalice hovering over the palm, while his other was above his head, clutching at a magnificent golden sword with a blue gem in the hilt. His wings stretched a metre out from the centre of his back, the top of the feathers being even taller than him, while the very bottom tips skirted along the water. They were white, and magnificent. His face was sculpted as if it were the Greek Adonis himself, with perfectly chiseled features. His eyes were pure white with a blue hue surrounding the edge, and his hear was tousled and silver.

Clary was just working on creating some effects with her pencil that made it look like the angel was radiating light when her teacher approached her from behind. "Very visually stunning, Miss Fray." She complimented with a wry smile, wrinkles forming at the corners of her eyes. Clary smiled back, genuinely warmed by the comment. Madame Dorothea also ran some of her lectures, and she was an incredibly talented woman. Some students thought she was a little... eccentric, in her artwork and her demeanour. But Clary thought she was utterly fantastic, and a part of her honestly aspired to be like her when she was older.

"All of you seem to be getting on incredibly well, despite only being a few weeks into the curriculum." Madame Dorothea called to the class once they neared the end of the lesson, clapping her hands together loudly for attention. "This week's homework, I will be emailing you all a list of modern day artists that you may not of heard of. I would like you to research them, as well as recreate one of their works in your own style." She beamed across to the entire class, getting several nods and murmurs of confirmation, before outstretching her hands in a way that told them they were dismissed.

Clary was the last one to leave as usual, always taking her time to pack her things up so she wouldn't be caught in the rush of classes changing. She was only small, much to her dislike, which meant she would be nudged about in the rush more often than she would like. She picked up her large A3 sketchbook and headed over to the back of the room, placing it into her cubby labelled 'Clary Fray'. It was right in the centre. A hesitant yet obvious cough came from behind, and she knew that someone was attempting to get her attention.

She turned around with her hands clasped in front of her, seeing it was Madame Dorothea. She smiled. "Hi, Madame Dorothea." The older woman stepped forwards with her head bowed slightly, her purple dress billowing behind her as she walked.

"Please, Clarissa, just Dorothea is fine out of class." Clary nodded at that, leaning back against the wall of cubbies. "I just wanted you to be the first to know, that there will be a Summer apprentice opportunity for an aspiring artist over in France next summer." Clary's interest was definitely peaked at that, and she lifted herself to stand up straight. "I think you'd be the perfect candidate. You've really got some talent."

She was starstruck at that. France was her dream location - a place she'd wanted to visit for as long as she could remember. The world's most brilliant artistes came from there, and with such magnificent artistic structures like La Louvre, and L'Arc de Triomphe, it was an artist's true love.

"Thank you!" Was all she could say, though she was certain the look on her face was giving away her true gratefulness.

"If you're certain you'd like the opportunity, I can put in a good word with the people it is with." She gave Clary a knowing smile. "Truth be told, I'd rather see you than most of these other students take the chance. I see so much passion within you, and I think this really could spark the start of a wondrous career for you."

"Why?" The word was out before Clary could think about it, though it didn't come out in an accusatory tone, but genuinely curious. Clary would be eternally grateful to Madame Dorothea for giving her this opportunity, but she didn't understand why she was doing this. Clary was nothing exceptional. In the NYU Steinhardt programme - you know, the one _made_ for artists such as Clary - there were hundreds, thousands of people much more talented than her. A part of her thought it was unfair that her teacher was giving her this advantage, but at the same time she also knew she shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth.

"Like I said, Clarissa. I see so much passion within you that I have only seen in a handful of people over my thirty-five years of teaching." The older woman gracefully walked over to where a tall metal shelving unit sat, which all the students assumed contained their yearly reports and other important documents. She rummaged around the top shelf for a moment, before pulling out an A3 black sketchbook, much like Clary's. This one was slightly older, though, the wears of years showing through in the yellowing edges of the pages and the pieces of loose paper hanging over the edge.

Madame Dorothea held it as if it was sacred as she walked over to Clary silently, handing the book to her. Clary furrowed her brows and looked at the older woman curiously, before down at the item in her hand. A small gasp escaped her lips when she realised what it was.

 _Jocelyn Fairchild Coursework. '95/'96._

Clary's fingers skirted along the front of the book carefully, as if she was scared it would break with the slightest touch. The front was splattered with decades-dry paint, odd dots of red and black and blue and green. The writing along the top was clearly written in her mother's writing, the beautiful cursive that Clary had admired so much being instantly recognisable. She smiled as she realised she was holding a piece of her mother's work - the start of her mother's work, when she was still in college. The work in that book was done when her mother was her age, though the doubt was already in Clary's mind that her work wouldn't match up to the talent of her mother. She was exceptable.

Her eyes glazed over her mother's name, _Jocelyn Fairchild_ , and a thought occured. She enrolled at NYU as Fray, and nobody knew her as Fairchild. How did Madame Dorothea? "How did you-" she looked up at the woman as she trailed off, seeing the knowing smile upon her lips.

"I may have been Jocelyn's teacher here at the University, but we also stayed in touch after she graduated. I knew her as Fairchild, Fray, and Morgernstern." That name made Clary flinch ever so slightly, and she diverted her gaze back to her mother's book. "Besides - you look exactly like your mother did at your age."

That made Clary smile. She'd always known her mother to be this tall, willowy figure with majestic auburn hair and perfectly porcelain skin. She knew she looked like her mother, but she'd always compare herself as an uglier version of her mother. The fact that the magnificent person Clary knew had begun looking like her, gave her hope. Maybe she'd grow up to look as beautiful as her mother. She hoped so.

"You can take that with you, if you'd like." Madame Dorothea's voice was soft and understanding, and Clary looked up to smile at her. "And I will put in a good word for you with that apprenticeship. Trust me, my dear, you will go far."

Clary nodded with a very grateful smile. "Thank you, so much." She clutched the book to her chest as if it was her lifeline as her teacher walked away towards her office. Clary stood there smiling to herself, before moving to grab the rest of her bags and head off.

* * *

Simon was already home by the time Clary had returned a little after 3pm, and she was happy about that. She hadn't gotten the opportunity to look at her mother's work, or tell anybody about the apprenticeship offer, and she knew Simon would be excited about both.

"You're looking happy." Simon beamed from his seat in the kitchen as Clary bounded in, red curls flying behind her as she went. She could tell that he was glad about her current emotions, since he and Jonathan had been worried the entire previous day that she was going to go into a catatonic break down or something.

She placed her mother's book on the island as she continued to walk to the fridge, grabbing a bottle of water from it. When she turned around to go sit next to Simon, she saw that he had already spun the book around and was reading the front of it. "This was your mothers?" She nodded. "Where did you get it?"

"One of my teachers gave it to me." She explained, fiddling with the corner of the sketchbook. "Turns out she taught my mom everything she knew. It was incredible."

"Have you had a look at any of it yet?" She shook her head with pursed lips, looking down at the ominous black book.

A fleeting thought of worry flashed in her mind, though she wasn't entirely sure why. She had nothing to worry about - it was just her mother's old work. But yet she was still hesitant as her fingers continued to dance at the corner of the book. Was it prying too much into her mother's life? Were there boundaries about this sort of thing? What if she saw something she didn't like - would that change her opinion of her mother?

 _Shut up, Clary_. She scolded herself with a firm shake of her head. _You're being silly. Just open the damn book._

Almost as if Simon could sense her inner turmoil, he placed his hand over hers to steady it. "Want me to flick through it for you?" He looked up into her eyes with pure care, and it was moments like that in which Clary realised why he was her best friend. She loved him with all her heart, and it was because of how caring and sweet he was to her - and most other people - that she loved.

Clary nodded with a small smile, pulling her hand away to rest it in her lap. She leaned forwards and slightly into Simon as he gripped the corner, opening it up slowly.

The first page was exactly what you'd expect a sketchbook to look like, in reality. There were odd doodles scattered across the entire page, some with scribbles through them and some fully fleshed out even with touches of colour. Clary leaned forwards and brushed her hand over a couple of the pictures, feeling the grainy texture on the tips of her fingers. Although these were simple, and nothing exceptional, it was something about the fact that it was her mother that had drawn these that made them so enthralling. Clary could almost imagine her mother sat in Madame Dorothea's classroom, hair in a bun with a paintbrush stuck through it, drawing with fluid movements. Her tongue would be sticking out slightly to the side from between her teeth, like Clary when she drew, and she would be utterly absorbed.

She nodded for Simon to turn the page, and he did so equally as slowly as he opened the book. Most of the first half of the book was just like the first page, except you could slowly see ideas being fully realised, each one being more complicated than the last. Clary could see her mother's talent expand as the pages went on, and it was as if she was looking at the entire development of her mother's art from Novice to Expert.

She felt her entire body cease up as Simon turned yet another page, and her breath was caught in her throat. It was the first fully completed piece of work, colour and all, and it was not what she was expecting. She felt Simon's wary gaze on her, as well as his arm that circled her waist and pulled her comfortingly closer. She never looked up at him, her eyes focused on the vividly real black ones staring back at her.

If she didn't know any better, Clary would have assumed it was a perfect replica of Jonathan. But the fact that this was drawn in 1996, and Jonathan wasn't born until 1997, she knew it was her father. They had the exact same triangular-shaped face with hard features. His eyes were as black as night, just like his son's, and his hair was so fair it could pass as white. When people had said that Jonathan looked like Valentine, Clary could see it. You could tell they were father and son, even if you didn't know. But she never realised to what extent they looked alike, until seeing her 22-year-old father.

"You alright?" Simon's voice broke her out of her trance to the paper, and she looked up at him. His brows were furrowed and eyes narrowed, watching over her curiously. She swallowed, her throat being dry, before nodding.

"I'm fine. I just- I guess I wasn't expecting something like this." She waved her hand over the top of the portrait of her father. "Though, I guess I should have. They _were_ married by this point."

"Does it ever concern you that they married so young?" Simon pondered allowed, and Clary leaned her head on his shoulder. "I mean, your mother was married by our age. That's absurd, to me. I could never see myself getting married before I had a solid career, or I at least had something going for me."

Clary shrugged at that, never really having thought about it before. "You have to remember, Simon, this was over two decades ago. That's what people did in them days - they fell in love for the first time, and thought that was who they'd spent the rest of their lives with." Though she knew from second hand experience that that wasn't always the case. Maybe her mother was foolish to marry her father before she had even gone to University. Maybe if they had waited then they wouldn't have separated. Then again, there's also the possibility that neither Jonathan nor Clary would have been born.

"I still think it's crazy." Simon said confidently, reaching for the sketchbook so he could carefully close it. Although they hadn't finished the entire thing, it was already gone five o'clock, and Clary wasn't sure she could look at the rest of her mother's work just yet. She would keep the book safe in her room, and finish it another day.

* * *

Simon and Clary were sat on either end of the sofa in the living room, Clary curled up with a mug of hot chocolate in her hands while Simon sat man-spreading as he focused on his video game. She watched him absentmindedly, making odd naive comments about the gameplay. She had the general gist of what was going on, but completely lost it when it came to him talking about covenants and indictments and cinders. Truth be told, she couldn't care less about it, but she always made an effort to seem interested since he always gave her the same courtesy when it came to her art.

"Are you gonna take it?" Simon was focusing his gaze and most of his attention onto his game, but was still able to keep up a half decent conversation. They had just been talking about Madame Dorothea's invitation for the apprenticeship, and he seemed somewhat apprehensive about it.

Clary shrugged. "Well, I mean, I'm not a shoe-in for it. Anybody can apply for it, Si, but I'd love to take it! Think of all the opportunities it would offer me. And I mean, come on - six weeks in France? I'd be a fool to pass that offer up."

Simon seemed to deliberate that for a moment as he let out a stretched, high-pitched 'eh', before finally making cohesive words. "I get that it'll be a brilliant opportunity for you, Clare, don't get me wrong! But France, all on your own? For six weeks? You cry if Jonathan and I leave you alone for the weekend."

Clary gasped at that, leaning over to slap his arm as hard as she could. He yelped in pain, dropping his controller and glaring at her. "I do not!" Simon rolled his eyes as he picked up his controller and went back to playing his game. "Besides, that's only because I get lonely. There's nothing to do on my own in New York. But think about all the things I could do in France! I could visit the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame de Paris, see the Catacombs! Si, you know how much I freaking love Catacombs." She was beaming by this point, and her hot chocolate was long forgotten and placed on the floor so she wouldn't knock it over as she became more animated. "I could walk along the river Sein. Maybe even meet a couple of hot European men." Simon almost choked on his own spit at that, and he had to pause his game as he coughed up slightly.

He turned to Clary with an incredulous look, and she returned with a confused one. "First of all, do not say 'hot European men'. That just makes me think of old, creepy Italians trying to marry you off to their million and one cousins." Clary laughed at that, but Simon shot her another glare. "I'm serious! And besides, I doubt Jonathan would let you do any sort of dating after everything with Sebastia-" he froze up before he could even finish the sentence, not realising what he was saying until it was over. His eyes were wide with alert as he looked over Clary to make sure she was okay. She tensed slightly, but was fine nonetheless.

"Sorry, Clare, I wasn't think-"

"You're fine, Si." She held up a hand to cut him off and smile. "You can't be tiptoeing around me all the time when it comes to Sebastian. Just say his name, whatever. I'm fine with that."

"Speaking of love interests, anyhow," a devious smirk appeared on her lips as she spoke, and by the look on Simon's face he could tell he was in for an interrogation. He quickly went back to his game in hopes to distract both of them from the upcoming topic. "What's the deal with Isabelle?"

Simon instantly flared up in a blush, and Clary's mouth dropped open in shock. "I- I don't know what you're talking about, Clare." He coughed slightly after he spoke, his voice clearly strained. Clary reached out and slapped his arm again, causing yet another yelp of pain.

"Shut up." She grinned at him, sitting up straight and leaning towards him. "Are you two dating?"

"What!" He almost shouted and his eyes widened even more with fear, before he shook his head ferociously. "Christ no. We're not that fast moving. Not that I don't want to, of course, she's utterly fantastic, but I mean-" he was stammering over his words as he spoke, and she could tell he was completely floored by her. "We've been on two dates. One the day we met, and obviously the second time at the party. She asked me both times, but I-I would have asked her, obviously, if I had more guts." So Isabelle's statement of Simon inevitably asking her out was right. Who'd of thought?

"That's great, Si!" Clary beamed at him, snuggling back into the sofa as she looked at her friend. "She seems like a really amazing girl. Beautiful, funny, playful. She'll be good for you, and I know that you'll treat her right."

"Really?" Simon looked up hopefully at his best friend at that, and smiled. "Thanks, Clary."

"No worries." She grinned with a slight shrug, just as the front door began to open.

Jonathan emerged a moment later, looking slightly frantic as he threw his lacrosse duffle bag roughly across the floor and let the door slam shut behind him. His eyes searched the room desperately until they settled on Clary, and she could see the relief in them as he headed in her direction. "Hey, Jonathan, what's wr-" she was just about to ask if he was okay when suddenly she was scooped off the sofa and into his arms as he hugged her tighter than she'd ever felt before. She buried her face into his chest with furrowed brows as she wrapped her own small arms around him as best she could, feeling his heart hammering beneath his shirt. "Jonathan, what's wrong? Are you okay?" She felt the own fear in her voice as she held her brother, his silence only increasing her worry. She heard Simon's game turn off, and she wondered if he was watching their embrace.

After what felt like an hour, Jonathan pulled away from his little sister, but never let her go. His arms were still wrapped around her shoulders and hers around his torso. He looked down at her as he moved one hand to brush one side of her hair as she looked up at him sceptically. Now that they were within such a distance, Clary could see a small lump forming on the side of his head, bruising scattering his jaw and chin. Purplish marks also peaked out from beneath the collar of his shirt, and she raised a hand swiftly to skim the top of them. "Jonathan, what happened to you? Who did this to you? Are you okay?" The questions came pouring out before she could stop them, and he just nodded.

"I'm fine, Clary. I just wanted to make sure you were okay." There was a hidden meaning behind those words, Clary could tell, and she wanted to know what was up.

"Jonathan, what happened?"

"It's nothing, Clary. Practice was just a little rough." He attempted a smile though it didn't quite meet his eyes. "Someone said something about you, and I just had one of those overly-protective-brother moments when I just had to make sure you were okay."

"What did they say?" She furrowed her brows, but he just shook his head.

"It's nothing important, don't worry about it." Clary knew he was hiding something from her as he pulled her into another embrace, though this one wasn't quite as tight as the other. She didn't want to push him into telling her what was on his mind, figuring that he would talk about it when he wanted to.

Finally he completely dropped his arms from his sister and stepped away with a sigh. "I probably reek of sweat, so I'm gonna go shower. Maybe the three of us can go out for dinner or something." Clary nodded at that, and Jonathan seemed to smile a genuine smile this time before walking away to his bedroom.

"What was that?" It was Simon who was stood right behind her, his voice as confused as she felt. She just shook his head.

"I have no idea. I just hope he's okay."

* * *

 _What do you think happened to Jonathan? Let me know your thoughts! I'm also very proud of this chapter despite there not being a lot of action going on, but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless._

 _I have changed all of the years of certain events (like births) to fit with Clary being 18 in current day (well, September 2016 currently in the story) as opposed to 2012 when most of the official ages and dates are fit to. All age gaps and differences are the exact same as in the canon novel, it's just the years themselves have been shifted. To make things a bit more understandable and cohesive, I will leave a list of important years and dates below for reference._

 _1974 - Valentine Morgenstern's Birth.  
_ _1976 - Jocelyn Fairchild's Birth.  
_ _1994 - Jocelyn and Valentine marry.  
_ _1995 - Jocelyn begins attending art school, and Valentine begins building his empire with Hodge Starkweather.  
_ _July 1997 - Jonathan Morgernstern's Birth.  
_ _August 1998 - Clarissa Morgernstern's Birth._

 _CURRENT DATE IN THE STORY: September 2016._

 _Other dates:  
_ _September 1996 - Alec Lightwood's Birth.  
_ _January 1997 - Jace Herondale's Birth.  
_ _September 1998 - Isabelle Lightwood's Birth._


	13. First Confessions

**Chapter Thirteen - First Confessions**

 _Chapter Songs;_

 _Scene One; Uptown Funk - Mark Ronson, Bruno Mars  
_ _Scene Two; Sail - AWOLNATION  
_ _Scene Three; Truth? - Def Leppard_

* * *

The day had been pretty uneventful for Jonathan, having had a two hour law class at 10 and another two hour politics class straight after. Now, it was a little after 2, and she wanted nothing more than to get to the field and train some more. He had gotten pretty close to Alec the past few days, who had expressed interest in trying out for the lacrosse team, so Jonathan had promised that he'd help freshen him up before tryouts at the end of the week.

His duffle bag and lacrosse stick was already in the back of his car, so all he had to do was get changed once he got to the field. Alec said he'd meet him there at 2.30, which gave him plenty of time to do so.

The roads were pretty clear and it was only a quick fifteen minute ride to the field, and he was thankful when he saw no other cars there. Sometimes other local teams turned up without booking the field out for practice, which royally pissed him off. The field belonged to _The Shadowhunters_ , which meant surely they should get first rights when it came to practice? Maybe there was some unwritten agreement between the coaches of the teams about it. Either that, or everyone else were just dicks.

He slung his bag across his back and grabbed his lacrosse stick, making sure to lock the car before heading towards the changing room. There, he changed from his jeans and sweater combo into shorts and a padded jersey. He was just finishing up putting on his arm guards and gloves when the door to the locker room opened up. He looked up to see the mess of black hair he was expecting. He smiled up at the taller boy, standing up to greet him.

"Hey, Jonathan." They both outstretched their hands to each other before pulling the other in, bumping their shoulders in a brotherly hug. Jonathan patted his back a couple times before they separated, and Alec nodded with a smile.

"Hey, man." He shrugged off his own duffle bag from across his back and dropped it on the bench next to him. He even brought his own lacrosse stick with him, which Jonathan was happy to see. It's always best to work with your own equipment - you know how it works, and it knows how you work. He was already dressed in a similar outfit as the blond, just without his gloves and guards.

"Thanks for this, by the way." Alec ran a hand through his hair and ruffled it up a little bit, odd ends sticking up once he dropped his hand to his side. "I'm not exactly rusty when it comes to lacrosse, but I just haven't played professionally in a while."

"It's no biggie." Jonathan leaned up against the lockers as Alec sat down on the bench to put his last bits of gear on. "Happy to help a friend out." Alec looked up at him with a small smile at that, and nodded. Jonathan outstretched a hand to him to help him to his feet, and Alec took it gratefully. "Now, let's go see how good you really are." He teased.

* * *

Truth be told Alec was a lot better than Jonathan had thought he would be - he definitely underestimated his talent when it came to the field. Though he wasn't quite as physically strong as Jonathan, Alec was lean and nimble, which gave him advantage of being a lot faster. Jonathan was heavier so he couldn't move as quickly, and more often than not that was his downfall when he and Alec went one on one. Alec would always be too fast for him, faking left before whizzing his way straight past in the other direction. He definitely had a shot at making it on the team, he was certain of it.

Alec was panting by the time they had decided to finish up for the afternoon, slumping down dramatically on the bottom bench of the bleachers. Jonathan chuckled at him, lifting the bottom of his jersey up to wipe at the sweat on his forehead. "Nice work out there, man. Really managed to keep me on my toes."

Alec laughed at that as he slowly regained his breath. "Thanks. Honestly wasn't expecting you to be that good, so I guess it worked out in both our favours."

"That makes two of us." Jonathan teased, shoving his shoulder jokingly with a laugh. Alec rose to his feet, wiping down his hands on the front of his shirt.

"My bottle and stuff are still in the lockers, so I'm gonna go grab it." Jonathan nodded, saying that he was gonna finish tying up a few loose ends out on the field. Alec clapped him on the shoulder before disappearing round the corner to get his stuff.

Jonathan dropped his lacrosse stick and helmet on the grass, before turning towards the field. He'd noticed somebody had been watching them for most of their training session, somebody he had never seen before in his life. It set him on edge, and so he stood there in the centre of the pitch and looked around the whole perimeter.

There they were, right in the back corner, almost hidden behind the bleachers. Jonathan's expression dropped into one that was stone hard, and he began advancing in their direction. "Hey!" He yelled in hopes to get their attention, and find out who they were. They just stood there, almost as if they'd never even heard him. He picked up his speed slightly, yelling again. "You! Who the fuck are you?" That seemed to get their attention, because instantly they turned on their heels and began retreating. Jonathan wasn't just going to let some stalker get away, and he found himself running as fast as his legs would take him. They were burning already from the intense training session, but he fought against the pain.

He rounded the corner of the bleaches and was met with an empty space, and he cursed himself for being too slow. He did a 360 spin as he looked around to see if they were anywhere in sight, before he felt something hard clap him on the back of the head. He yelled out in both pain and shock, outstretching his hands to catch him as he fell to the floor. He felt his jaw clip the ground from the momentum and fell flat onto his front. He cursed to himself as his head instantly started throbbing, turning over on his back.

A formidable figure was looming over him, and he recognised it as the person who had been watching Alec and him for the past two hours. It was a man, maybe early thirties, with slick black hair. His blue eyes were small and crinkled, and his nose was too big for his face. Jonathan squinted up at him as he watched the man raise his hand, before slowly seeing what was in it. A gun.

He rolled over to his side just as he heard a soft _pft_ sound, and he knew the gun had a silencer on it. His adrenaline kicked in as he jumped to his feet, facing the man head on. He charged forwards for him before he even had the chance to raise his gun again, tackling him to the floor and knocking the breath straight out of him. Jonathan straddled his torso with either knee pinning his arms to the side, snapping his arm forward with a sharp punch to the mans face. His cries were muffled - that, or Jonathan's ears were too full of blood pumping that he couldn't hear. Jonathan went to punch him again before the man got one over on him, his pure brute strength managing to throw the blond off him.

Now it was his turn to be on top, and was in the exact same position Jonathan had him in just moments before with his arms pinned down. He raised the gun up and pressed it to Jonathan's forehead, despite his attempts at trying to throw the older man off. He thrashed violently against him with no success, a string of curse words flying from his mouth as he watched the blood trickle down from his opponent's nose. His lips turned into a sickening smirk, and Jonathan closed his eyes and screamed as loud as he could.

He flinched as he heard the same soft _pft_ from before, his whole body tensing up. He could feel his chest heaving and his body pressed tightly against the grass, though he refused to open his eyes. Maybe he couldn't. Maybe he was dead. Was he dead? He didn't feel dead.

Suddenly a huge weight was lifted off of him, and he felt himself relax a little more. Definitely not dead.

He opened up his eyes to see Alec stood above him, outstretching a hand to him. His brows were furrowed in a hard, unreadable expression, as Jonathan laid there for an immeasurable amount of time. "Are you alright?" Alec sounded slightly concerned, but other than that he didn't seem at all phased by what had happened. Perhaps he hadn't seen everything. That thought was quickly proven wrong as Jonathan's eyes darted to Alec's other hand, seeing a similar gun to what the older man had.

Jonathan quickly sat up and pushed himself several feet away from Alec, one hand out stretched as if to keep him at bay. "What the fuck do you crazy people want? Why are you trying to shoot me?"

"Relax, Jonathan." Alec lifted his hands up in a calming motion, his voice having a low and soothing tone to it. "I'm not the one out to get you. These people are." He kicked something at his feet, and Jonathan looked down to see the older man hunched over on the floor. Blood was pooling around his head, and he could clearly see the gaping hole in the side of it. He reached, holding a fist to his mouth so he wouldn't puke.

Slowly he got to his feet, clutching at the wall behind him for support as he stood. He kept a wary distance from Alec, all trust created between the two having gone on his side. "What the fuck was that?" He was completely exasperated, his voice thick with disbelief. "That psycho-" he pointed to the dead man, "just tried to kill me, and you _actually_ killed him!" He reached both hands up into his hair and gripped tightly, pulling at it as hard as he could. He had to be dreaming. None of this happened. It was all a freakishly weird dream. Or maybe a prank.

"Just calm down, please." Alec stayed level headed as he spoke, making no advances towards Jonathan. "Do that, and I will answer any questions you may have."

* * *

It had taken Jonathan almost quarter of an hour to completely regain his mind back into normalcy, but he still had a thousand and one questions. He and Alec found themselves back in the locker room with Jonathan sat on the bench, and Alec leaning in front of him with his arms folded. He took a deep breath, before looking up at the stranger before him. "Who are you?"

"I'm Alec Lightwood." He said matter-of-factly, his face deadpan and his body never moving. "I'm a Secret Agent for the government." Jonathan scoffed at that, to which Alec raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

"You expect me to believe that you're some James Bond type of shit?" He shook his head and pressed his lips into a tight line. "I'm not buying it."

"It's true, whether you buy it or not." Alec shrugged. "Isabelle, Jace, and I - we all work for a place called The Academy down in Manhattan. They, in turn, are run by the government. It's top secret, hence the title 'Secret Agent', and only few know about it."

"All three of you work for the government?" Alec nodded, and Jonathan let out a shaky breath. "Okay. Who was that guy back there?"

"I don't know, but I-" Alec began, but an exasperated Jonathan cut him off before he could say much else.

"You don't know? Some Secret Agent you are. Aren't you supposed to have, like, super high tech equipment that can do facial recognition and shit like that?"

"Jonathan, spies in real life aren't like the spies you see in the movies." The taller boy clarified, unfolding his arms to hold a more relaxed stance. "Yes we have some high tech equipment, but our daily tools are mostly limited to guns, bugs, and communication devices."

"Now, before you cut me off again, I was going to say that I may not know who that guy was, but I do know who he works for." Jonathan leaned forwards on the edge of the bench at that, the hairs on the back of his neck standing to attention. "I'm assuming you know a man called Hodge Starkweather?"

Jonathan nodded. "He works with my father. What does he have to do with this?" Alec held a hand up as a motion for him to stop asking questions and let him talk. Jonathan raised his hands in an apologetic motion before slinking back to let him continue.

Alec took in a deep breath before moving to sit next to the other boy, his body turned slightly towards him. "Starkweather is out for your father's share of their company. The only way he can get that share is if he finds a way to get rid of your father, as well as any possible heirs. That means you and Clary." Jonathan sat upright at the mention of his sisters name and opened his mouth to speak, before shutting it. He said he would allow Alec to speak, so he'd just have to leave his ranting until the end.

"Isabelle, Jace, and I, have been sent here from The Academy to protect you and your sister. It is our mission and our duty, and we will protect you with our lives. I suspect the guy out there was somebody sent by Starkweather to try and get you out of the picture, though I must admit he wasn't very well trained. I could see him during our entire training session."

"You saw him too?" Jonathan couldn't help but speak at that point, though Alec just cast him a knowing smile. Of course he knew. If he was a super-secret James Bond wannabe then he'd obviously be alert at all times.

There was a long pause of silence as neither boy spoke, either unsure of what to say or just soaking in the situation. Jonathan was doing the latter. He thought about the man outside, his dead body just resting on the grass, waiting for somebody to find him and call the police. "What are you going to do about the guy behind the bleachers?"

"I've already contacted back up and they're on their way to collect him. They'll clean everything up and take him back to the lab to get an ID on him. Maybe with an ID, we can find any connections he may have and attempt to weed out the people Starkweather is using."

There was another pause. "What happens now?"

"What happens now," Alec heaved himself to his feet and began shoving his stuff into his duffle bag. "Is we continue with our daily lives. Now that you know, at least I can count on you to cooperate if one of us ever need you to do something in order to ensure your safety." He slung the back across his back before turning to Jonathan with a finger held up. "And one more thing - you are not to breathe a word about this to your sister."

Jonathan's face dropped at that, and he felt the anger boil up inside of him. "Why not? Her life is at risk and she doesn't even know it, she is entitled to know!"

"You tell her and the whole operation could be blown." Alec was up in Jonathan's face at this point, staring him down with a menacing glare. "You saw what happened back there, and so I was forced to tell you. We are under strict oath to keep our identity a secret unless disclosure is necessary to the client's safety."

"So that's it, you're just going to keep her in the dark?"

"Yes." Alec shrugged simply. "It is best for her safety, and you will do well to keep your mouth shut or else you will regret your actions." And with that, he stalked out of the locker room, leaving Jonathan to stare after him.

Jonathan growled to himself as soon as the taller boy was out from the locker room, clenching his fist and throwing a punch at the nearest locker as hard as he could. The metal dented in it, and he just left his hand there despite the throbbing pain in it. He was hyperventilating with his eyes clenched shut, his only thought being Clary. He couldn't care less about his father being under attacked, and the initial shock of almost being killed was also beginning to wear off. All he could think about was protecting his little sister.

* * *

 _So, how are y'alls feeling about Jonathan being the first to find out about the Lightwood/Herondale's occupation? Bet you didn't see that coming. Once again thank you for your tremendous amount of support, it means the world to me. Love you all!_


	14. An Unusual Deal

**Chapter Fourteen - An Unusual Deal**

 _I'm not sure when I'll next have internet to upload a chapter, hence me uploading two chapters in one day. I still have two more chapters pre-written after this, so don't worry, I'm well stocked! Hope you enjoy._

 _Chapter Songs;_

 _Scene One; Hey Na Na - Katie Herzig  
_ _Scene Two; Bad - David Guetta ft Vassy_

* * *

Tuesday went by just as usual, as did Wednesday. After such a hectic weekend, Clary was thankful that some normalcy had begun to settle back into her life. With exception to her brother, however. He had been acting... strange, to say the least, ever since he returned from training with Alec on Monday. He was more on edge, and insistent on knowing exactly where Clary was at all times. She put it down to the situation with Sebastian, though as the week went on she wasn't entirely sure that was the only reason. She and Simon had both tried to get him to talk about what had happened before he came home on the Monday, but he insisted that it was nothing to concern themselves with.

 _"These aren't just normal lacrosse bruises, Jonathan." Clary frowned at her brother. It was the morning after. She was on tip toes leaning across the island in the kitchen and had two fingers gently prodding the bruise on near his chin. He was sat on the stool on the opposite side, and he leaned away from her touch, swatting her hand away. She pouted at him, lowering herself to stand flat on the linoleum. He said nothing. "Jon, I'm serious. Did you get jumped or something?"_

 _"Clarissa, it's nothing." 'Clarissa' was the name he used when he really wasn't happy with her, or if he was talking about something serious. He knew she didn't like being called that. He quickly stood up at that turning to put his empty coffee mug into the sink. Clary, from where she was stood, could see how tense he was in his shoulders. His arms were spread wide to grip either side of the kitchen sink, and his shoulders were more square than usual. Definitely tense._

 _She slowly walked up to stand besides him, turning around so her back was to the counter. With some difficulty due to her height, she lifted herself up and backwards to sit on the counter besides the sink. She crossed her legs over and folded her hands in her lap, just looking at her brother who appeared to be doing anything and everything not to look at her. "If someone purposefully hurt you, then tell me. I'm your sister - maybe I can help."_

 _"What, like you told me about Sebastian?" He scoffed, and Clary physically flinched away at that. It was a low blow, and Clary knew then that she had pushed him too far. She looked down at her lap and fiddled with her fingers for a moment, the two siblings sitting in silence._

 _Clary sighed quietly to herself, glancing up at her brother who was still glaring into the kitchen sink with white-knuckled hands grabbing at the counter. "I'm sorry." Her voice was quiet, just loud enough for him to hear, as she hung her legs off the counter and dropped to the floor. Neither of them said another word as she headed off towards her bedroom to get ready for the day._

It was now Thursday, the easiest day for Clary when it came to classes. Sure, she had a 9am start, but she was also finished by noon. That was a win in her book. She had modern art history for the first hour, and then an external artist called Gregory Sholette gave a two-hour lecture about the impact of art and activism in the 21st century, as a way to both promote his new book as well as motivate the students. Although it wasn't typically what Clary enjoyed when it came to lectures, it was still interesting to her.

She had met Simon on his break once she'd finished, and they both went to Taki's for lunch. Simon had to get back to campus for 1.30 - apparently he had some _Creatures of the Night_ lecture he just couldn't miss. He had taken Classical Mythology as his undergraduate course, which at first glanced seemed like an odd choice for him, but he justified his decision by saying that he was utterly fascinated by Greek and Roman mythos, and even ancient classics like vampires and werewolves. Apparently he wanted to be to be a mythologist lecturer once he was finished with education.

It was almost 2pm by the time Clary had managed to make it back to her apartment. Being without a car, since Jonathan had to use it for practice later in the day, meant that she had to walk from Taki's. Admittedly it was only a twenty minute walk, but it was twenty minutes that she could of been back home working on her art resume for the summer internship. She wanted to make the best possible impression to the person who was running it, and she wanted to show how badly she wanted the position.

Clary bounded up the stairs two at a time, her messenger bag bouncing off her hip as she went, almost barreling into a muscular figure as she got to the top. "Woah!" She cried out in shock as she held out her hands to catch herself, just as two strong hands encirled her upper arms to keep her balanced. She looked at her hands, which were placed on somebody's chest, before looking up to see who she had almost knocked onto the floor.

She instantly recognised those magnificently golden eyes, and it was almost as if her heart skipped a beat. They were mesmorising, and she could definitely see herself getting lost in them. Jace cleared his throat pointedly, bringing her out of his daze. "I always knew you'd get lost in my eyes." He smirked with a wink, and Clary quickly dropped her hands from his chest. She stepped to the side, forcing his hands to drop to his side, and turned away to hide her embarrassment.

"Sorry about that. I didn't see you."

"Clearly." Jace turned to face her with arms folded across his chest, waiting for her to turn. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she looked up at him, seeing him waiting expectantly.

"Jace, I just wanted to apologise for what happened the other day." She mimicked his stance by folding her arms across her chest, before looking to her feet as she toed at the fraying woodwork. "I shouldn't of shouted at you for trying to protect me from Sebastian. It was wrong of me, and I'm sorry." She refused to look up at him through fear that he wouldn't accept her apology. She really was beginning to grow fond of him, and she wasn't sure why, but she knew she'd be heart broken if he completely fell out with her.

She felt a firm grip on her chin that forced her to look up, back into his golden eyes. "I accept your apology, Clary. I understand you must have been frustrated." Clary nodded slowly, still saying nothing. She watched as Jace's gaze darted down momentarily to her lips, before focusing back on her gaze. She saw his adam's apple bob as he swallowed, before releasing her from his grip and stepping back. He cleared his throat, and Clary felt her whole body relax as soon as she was free of his hypnotising stare.

She wrapped her arms around her torso awkwardly as they stood there in the lobby of their apartment stairs, nobody saying anything. Eventually, she piped up. "Thank you, as well." Jace looked up at her with a curious expression as she spoke, clearly questioning her actions. "Not just for Sunday, but for the time before that as well. Looks like you're my personal knight in shining armour." She laughed at herself, realising how ridiculous she sounded.

Jace scoffed, shaking his head. "Only with Verlac, it appears." His tone was bitter, a definite 180 turn from how he had spoke to her before. "Did nobody ever teach you how to defend yourself in situations like that? I swear, when I saw you against that wall outside Pandemonium, it looked like you had just _given up_." He pressed his lips into a tight line, turning his body away from Clary for a moment. "It was- it was disgusting to look at. You didn't even try to fight him, Clary. If I wasn't there, who knows how that would have ended."

Clary shrunk away from him slightly as he spoke, surprised by his current state. Why did it sound like he was attacking her for what happened? Did he blame her, and not Sebastian? She did nothing wrong. At least, that's what she thought. She did try her best to get away from Sebastian, but there wasn't much else she could do.

"Then you teach me." She suggested confidently, dropping her arms to her side. Jace turned to face her, his brows furrowed with an otherwise neutral expression. "You're right, nobody ever taught me how to defend myself. I never needed to - not until I moved out from my father's." She looked at him thoughtfully, thinking back to her life before she left.

She never really had to worry about anything when she lived with her father. She had a private education, a mother and father that gave her everything she wanted. She had the best doctors at hand if anything ever happened, and even her own security detail if she ever chose to use them. Self defence was never something she had to consider.

"If you teach me, then maybe I won't need you anymore." The words came out harsher than she intended, though they didn't seem to bother him. "I don't want to be a damsel in distress. I want to be my own knight in shining armour."

Jace licked his lips before biting his bottom one, and it was evident he was mulling over her suggestion. He let out a small sigh, before nodding, stepping towards her once again. "Alright, I'll teach you." Clary broke into a grin at that, but he quickly cut it off. "On one condition." She tilted her head curiously to the side as he reached out towards her face. She froze slightly as he carefully took that stray piece of hair from before, tucking it behind her ear just like she had. "Tomorrow, you let me take you out on a date."

Clary's eyes widened automatically, and she felt her mouth drop open ever so slightly in surprise. Out of everything he could've asked for in return, that was the last thing she expected. Of course, he had asked her to be his date for Isabelle's party the weekend before, but she had written that off as him being polite. They were the last ones without a date, so it seemed more out of convenience than him genuinely wanting to go out with her. But now, his genuine invite of a real date, seemed to blow that theory out of the window. To say she was shocked would be an understatement.

Jace seemed to be the physical embodiment of perfect, everything about him being designed to hypnotise and pull people in. He was visually stunning, his golden locks framing his face and perfectly matching his eyes. He was chiseled, and tall, and broad, and Clary was certain he had a perfect body beneath those clothes. Admittedly he was too cocky for his own good, and had a mild case of bipolar with how he could suddenly switch from sweet boy-next-door to douchey McGee, but that just added to his charm. He was mysterious, and beautiful, and angelic, and she was... Clary.

She wasn't sure how long she stood there in shock, his hand hovering just behind her ear, before she eventually closed her mouth and nodded. "Okay." Her mouth was dry, and she licked her lips before continuing to speak. "That sounds reasonable."

"Perfect." He gleamed, dropping his hand to his side. "Get inside and get changed. I'll meet you outside."

"What?" Clary was startled as he begun heading for the stairs, only pausing to cast a glance over his shoulder at her. "We're going right now?"

"Well, if you want me to train you, you're gonna need to start as soon as possible. I've got my work cut out when it comes to you." He winked at her with a lop sided grin, before disappearing down the stairs. Clary stood there for a few seconds, stunned, before realising that he was waiting for her. She turned on her heels and rushed into her apartment to go and change.

* * *

Clary had changed into the first lot of workout gear that she could find, which consisted of a black sports bra and black compression pants with white detailing going down the right leg. She had on black trainers with bright pink laces, with a couple of extra items shoved into a small duffle bag that was slung over her shoulder. She made her way down to Jace as quickly as she could, tying her hair up into a tight high ponytail as she walked down the stairs.

Jace was stood with his back leaning on a large black 4x4, arms folded across his chest. Clary took her time walking from the apartment building door to his car, just so she could take him in.

He had on grey sweatpants that appeared to hang quite low on his hips - that, or he just had a very long torso - with a white shirt on. A black jacket covered his arms, though it wasn't zipped up, and she could see the subtle contours of his abs. She tore her eyes away from his body before she got too carried away, focusing on his face as she approached.

"Ready." She smiled, catching his attention from his absentminded sky gazing. He seemed to give her a full once over, and Clary couldn't help but wrap her arms around her torso subconsciously. Maybe her outfit was too provocative for working out, but it was too late to change now. Jace just smiled, pushing himself off from the vehicle and outstretching his hand.

"I'll put your bag in the back for you." He offered, opening up the passenger door for her. She thanked him, handing him the bag, before climbing in. He shut the door and disappeared for a moment, presumably to put her bag in the trunk like he had said, before appearing at the drivers side. He climbed in, belted up, and started up the car.

It was quick ride to the gym, thanks to the fact that Jace drove like he was in a Fast and Furious film. Honestly, it was kind of exhilarating, and Clary enjoyed the thrill of being in a fast car - not that she'd ever admit that to him. It would only inflate his ego even more, and doing so would present the risk that his head might explode.

Jace continued to act like a gentleman as he rounded the front of the car to open her door for her, even giving her a hand to climb out of the taller-than-typical car. She smiled gratefully at him, before taking her duffle bag herself. He already had done enough for her, and it was odd, so she decided to edge on the side of caution.

He had managed to score the duo their own private training room, since Jace apparently knew the guy working there, Jordan. They dumped their bags at the back of the room before separating on either side of the room to stretch and warm up. Clary couldn't help but sneak a glance at him every now and then as she was doing so, and she could of sworn she saw him returning that glance once or twice.

Jace called Clary to the middle of the room after fifteen minutes of warming up, and she approached him while rolling back her shoulder to make sure it was fully warmed up. She stopped about two feet away from him, and he looked down at her with a smirk. With no other thoughts, no other ulterior motives, Clary realised how short she really was compared to him. The top of her head reached near the top of his chest, him easily being a foot taller than her. She mentally cursed herself for having such short genes.

"Alright, first off I want to see what you can do." Jace said with an air of confidence, almost as if he was a genuine teacher. Clary felt herself automatically nod and straighten up at his authority, earning her a smirk from him. "Punch me."

That took her back, and she flinched away slightly. "What?"

"You heard me. I want to see you punch me." He shrugged, matter-of-factly.4

"Okay.." She was slightly wary, but obeyed nevertheless. She stepped her right leg back ever so slightly so she was stood on a slant, before launching her right fist towards his jaw. Before she even connected with it, she felt something grip tightly around her fist. She gasped, looking to see Jace had wrapped his hand around her smaller one, though he didn't even appear to have moved. She looked at him in disbelief, attempting to pull her hand out of his grasp, though he kept his grip tight.

"First and foremost, the only person you're gonna hurt with a stance like that is yourself." He seemed amused at her attempt, and she frowned at him as he moved his other hand to adjust her. "Keep your thumb tucked away," he gently moved her thumb from across her knuckles to besides them. "Otherwise you risk breaking it. Secondly, keep your elbow in." She noticed that when she had swung, she did so in a wide arc, meaning her elbow was extremely far away from her body. He adjusted her arm so that it was tighter to her body, keeping her fist in his hand. "Protect your organs at all times - that's where the important stuff is. That brings me to my third point; don't aim for the jaw. It's solid bone, and unless you've got shear force and power behind the attack - which, for as small as you are, you don't - you're gonna get nowhere." He let go of her fist at that, and she quickly brought it down to absentmindedly cover her stomach as she watched him.

He backed up slightly, but continued to speak. "Your best chances are in hitting for the lethal parts. The stomach," he placed his hands across his lower abdomen, "the throat," he placed one hand just below his neck, "and, if it's a male, then kick right for the babymaker." He laughed as he said that, and Clary couldn't help but smile as well. A man telling her to aim for the privates was somewhat blasphemous, she assumed, from how painful people say it is to be kicked there.

"I'm gonna do something, as if I was attacker. Alright?" She nodded slowly, stepping warily away from him. She watched as he kept his gaze on her for a moment, before quickly acting. He grabbed both her arms and spun her around so that her back was plastered to his front. She gasped as she realised he had one of her arms held firmly across her waist with the other diagonally across her throat, forcing her chin up almost painfully. Both limbs were being held expertly within his grasp and she tried to pull her arms free of him, but to no avail.

"Now," his voice was low in her ear, and she could feel his hot breath skirting across her skin there. She shivered beneath his touch, and only struggled against him even more. "I'm an attacker, and I've got you like this. What're you gonna do to try and get away?"

Her breathing was heavy as she racked her brain, thinking of an escape. She half tempted letting her body go into complete lock down, much like she had with Sebastian, but she knew that would get her nowhere. She continued to fight against him as best she could as she thought hard, feeling his grip tighten on her. "You're running out of time." His lips were touching her ear as he spoke.

Almost on instinct, Clary threw her head back as hard she could, knowing his face was right there. She heard a crunch as she connected with something, and the vices on her arm loosened. She was shocked, though she knew she wasn't completely free yet. She had enough wiggle room to rip her arms from his grip, spinning around and grabbing his arms in return. She held them as tightly as she could before lifting her knee up sharply to hit him right in the stomach, causing him to groan out in pain. He fell onto his knees, and she quickly dropped his arms, stepping back as she watched him cough to the ground.

A part of her instantly felt bad, and she wrapped her arms protectively around her stomach as she watched him rise to his feet, though most of her felt proud as the adrenaline rushed through her. She had managed to break free of Jace's grip, and had even gone so far to force him to the ground. That must of been worth something, right? She looked up at him expectantly as he turned to look at her, and she noticed blood trickling from his nose. Her expression dropped instantly, and she rushed over to him.

"Are you alright? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you that badly." She used the back of her hand to gently wipe away the blood that was trickling into his mouth, holding him firmly by his shoulder. He shook his head, catching the hand that was on his face with his own. His fingers wrapped easily around her tiny wrist, and he pulled it away from him.

"Clary, I'm fine." He reassured her, sounding slightly winded but otherwise okay. He grinned down at her as he gave her back her hand, a glint in his eye as he nodded. "Smart moves. You're learning."

Clary couldn't help but blush at the compliment, and she darted her eyes down to the floor. When she looked back up, Jace had an unreadable expression on his face, but his gaze was intent on hers. She felt like he was admiring every inch of her, and she had the strongest urge to throw herself into his arms, but she managed to restrain herself. She swallowed hard as she composed herself, nodding. "Thanks."

* * *

 _*Viciously chants CLACE CLACE CLACE*_

 _I'm super proud of this chapter, and I hope you enjoy it as well. Have a good day!_


	15. Under Scrutiny

**Chapter Fifteen - Under Scrutiny**

 _Chapter Songs;_

 _Scene One; Addicted to You - Avicii_ _Scene Two; Aint No Rest for the Wicked - Cage The Elephant_

* * *

Clary and Jace spent the better part of almost three hours training in that gym, and Jace was pretty impressed by the shear determination within the small redhead. She wasn't exceptionally talented right off the bat, however she was willing to do whatever it took to advance her skills. Jace admired that, and he found himself becoming more and more fond of the girl as the time went on.

He taught her all sorts of stuff that she thought would benefit her in certain situations, from how to punch to how to successfully tackle someone bigger than her, even going so far to directly spar with her once she was ready. She figured out where she excelled - which was her speed, and flexibility - and tried to advance on those skills.

"Are you a dancer?" The comment seemed irrelevant at first, though it served a purpose. Jace was stood panting heavily with his hands on his hips, looking down at Clary. She was leaning back on her hands with her legs spread flat on the ground, looking up at him. She was panting even more than he was. She shook her head and furrowed her brows, though Jace just shrugged. "You should be. With flexibility like yours, I could definitely imagine some exotic moves you could successfully pull off." He smirked suggestively at her, and watched as her curious expression changed into one of disgust.

She quickly jumped to her feet and headed straight for him, almost catching him completely off guard. She managed to grab his dominant hand and thrust it into his chest, winding him as she used their combined momentum to send him flying back on his ass. She dug one of her knees into his stomach, dangerously close to another area, and used the other to pin down his right arm. He grinned up from beneath her, feeling the pressure she was placing with one of her arms against her throat. "You know," he began cockily, feeling her arm more prominently against his adam's apple as he spoke, "whenever I pictured us in this position, I always imagined us _without_ clothes on." He watched with joy as a soft blush crept it's way onto her cheeks despite her hard glare she continued to keep. He chuckled, flashing her a charming wink, forcing her to give up her position and stand back up.

She offered her hand to him to help him up, and she took it, before smiling wickedly. Before she knew what hit her, he quickly yanked her to the floor and rolled over so he was on top, taking a similar position to the one she just had above him. Her eyes were wide with surprise as she realised she'd just been played, and her mouth was open in a soft 'o' shape. Jace's eyes darted down to her plump lips automatically, silently wondering if they were as soft as they looked. He had to resist the urge to press his own against them.

From this angle he could see every detail of her face, and he allowed himself to take it all in. She was beautiful, that much was certain, but her beauty was timeless rather than modern. The soft sprinkling of red freckles across her nose and cheeks, being most dense at the bridge of her nose. The pink hue that Jace loved to create on her cheeks, those coppery eyelashes which delicately framed those stunning emerald eyes. Those eyes; oh, those eyes. Jace could lose himself in them, the vibrant green as unique as his own golden eyes. They were easily his favourite part about her. Ever since he first saw them, he was hooked, and his whole body ached to be near her. Even in such a position as the one they were in now, everything felt so... _right_. His body against hers, the feel of her heart beat bounding on his chest, the warmth of their bodies mixed together. It was right.

"Are you gonna let me up now?" Clary's quiet voice called him back to the present, and he looked back at her - really looked at her this time. She was watching him with an arched eyebrow, and he realised he wasn't sure how long he had been silent on top of her. He chuckled awkwardly before backing up, taking her hands to pull her also to her feet. He looked down at her, still holding her hands, with his mouth open slightly. This girl floored him in a way he never realised was possible for a girl to do - both literally and metaphorically. He was simultaneously scared and thrilled by it.

"I think that's enough for today." Jace coughed, voice slightly strained. As much as he liked to think he was the tough guy, and nothing could phase him, that definitely wasn't the case. Not since he met her. Once she nodded in agreement, he left her in the centre of the room to go to his bag. He gripped the collar of his vest and pulled it off over his head before using it to wipe away the sweat across his body and forehead. He tossed it over his shoulder as he rummaged around in his bag for his spare shirt before throwing the old one in and putting on the clean one.

It was a little after 6 o'clock, so read his phone, and he noticed he had seven missed calls. Five were from Isabelle, and two from Alec. Jace shrugged it off as he threw his phone back into his bag - he was heading home anyway, so whatever they needed to talk to him about could wait until then. He holstered his bag on his shoulder before turning to look for Clary, noticing she was also ready to go. She had thrown on a blue tracksuit jacket that was way too big for her judging by the way it hung low past her bottom, and the way she had to roll the sleeves up to her elbows. It wasn't zipped up, and Jace could still see the tight sports bra and soft curve of her stomach. The sight made Jace smile at first as he imagined her wearing his own jacket, before the thought turned sour as he realised the over-sized clothing may of originally belonged to Sebastian. He hated to think that she was sentimental enough to wear something that once belonged to somebody who had attacked her not once but multiple times. He tried to convince himself about the possibility of it being her brother's, though that didn't ease his thoughts much.

She had redone her ponytail, instead having a large, messy bun on the top of her head. Several curls were flying loose around her neck and face, and all Jace wanted to do was to yank the hairtie out of her hair to let the curls cascade down her back, the way he loved. He had to remind himself that she wasn't his, and that he had to learn to restrain himself. He shook his head slightly to himself as he walked over to Clary. "Ready to go?" She nodded, wrapping her arms around her torso absentmindedly. She always did that, Jace noticed, and he wondered why. Maybe it was a coping mechanism - a way that she held herself together, physically - literally, after all the torment she'd been through.

Jace nodded back at her and headed out first, saying goodbye to Jordan as he went, leading Clary back to his car.

* * *

Jace made his way up the stairs behind Clary as they approached the stair landing of their apartments, hovering behind her as she turned around to face him once she got to her door. "Thank you for today." She smiled angelically up at him, her eyelashes fluttering innocently. "You didn't have to do that, especially after how I treated you before. But thank you."

Jace shrugged it off nonchalantly, flashing her a dazzling grin. "It's my pleasure. You're not as difficult to work with as I thought you'd be." That earned him a quick jab to the stomach, but he managed to evade it with a laugh. She glared up at him, but he could see the smile threatening to break through at the corners of her mouth. He leaned his forearm above her head against the wall, leaning down to her. He saw her chest hitch up and her breathing stop as he swiftly ducked his head down to kiss her on the cheek. His lips lingered for a moment, before pulling away. "I'll see you for our date tomorrow. I'll pick you up at 6pm." And with that, he pushed himself off the wall and turned to head into his own apartment, leaving her dazed and starstruck.

He flopped back heavily against the door once he was inside, letting out a long breath that he hadn't known he was holding in. His eyes were closed and his lips automatically formed into a grin as he chuckled to himself. "Ah, shit." He shook his head as he realised the predicament he was in, wanting nothing more than to bang his head off a wall until he forgot about the girl with the dazzling green eyes and the striking red curls.

Jace heard someone clear their throat from somewhere in front of him, and he silently wished they would go away. He reluctantly lifted his head up to see who it was, seeing Isabelle glaring at him with daggers. Her arms were folded and her posture was perfectly straight, legs shoulder width apart. She was angry, and it was evident she meant business. "Where have you been?" Her voice was calm and collected, which scared Jace the most, though he refused to show it.

"What's it to you, _mother_?" He teased with a playful smirk, walking into the living room and tossing his dufflebag onto the sofa. He vaulted himself over the back of the sofa to sit down besides his bag, groaning as the pains from training began to melt away as he relaxed into the plush cushions. He kicked his feet up on the table, crossing his ankles over, and leaned back with arms broad across the back of the sofa. His eyes were only closed for a moment when he felt someone punch his shoulder hard and maliciously. He shot upright, feet going to the floor, as he glared at the perpetrator. "What the hell is your deal, Izzy?"

"You know what my deal is, _Jace_." There was the anger that he was waiting for. This Izzy, he could handle. It was just a matter of assuring her and sweet-talking her into seeing his way of things, whatever the issue was. "You know what the risks are in what you're doing, Jace. We're here for a job - you need to distance yourself away from Clary."

"Easy, Izzy." He stood himself up and raised his hands in a 'calm down' sort of motion. He was calm, like she had been when he first entered, and his tone was reasonable. "I'm not doing anything wrong here. I was helping Clary out with some simple self defence training." Isabelle folded her arms again and raised a dubious eyebrow at him. "After everything that's happened with that _scum ex-boyfriend_ of hers, I realised that she would be no good in a fight. If anything goes down with Starkweather, she needs to know how to protect herself."

"And that's all you were doing?" She asked for reassurance, looking directly into his eyes to see if he was lying. He stared right back at her, just as confident.

"Izzy, you _know_ me. I don't lie." And that was the truth. "We were training, and that was it. Nothing more, nothing less."

Isabelle stood there scrutinising him for almost a minute, her eyes darting between both of his as she tried to look for any sign that he was lying. When she didn't find anything, she huffed to herself, before turning on her heels and heading in the direction of her bedroom. Jace just stared after her with an incredulous expression, shaking his head at how demanding she had been.

Jace was telling the truth, in complete fact, though he wasn't willing to tell Isabelle the whole truth. He wasn't willing to tell her how much he longed to make Clary his, to feel her lips against his, to feel her body react delightfully to his touch as he did unspeakable things with her. He didn't know exactly what he felt for her, but he knew it was a hell of a lot more than just lust. He wanted not only to have her, but he also wanted to protect her, to make sure she was okay. He wanted to be her knight in shining armour, to be the person who was always there when she needed them most. He wanted to be the world to her, just as she was slowly becoming his.

It was unbelievable, really. Jace Herondale, womaniser to the stars, had eyes for only one girl. A small, adorably cute, redheaded girl. Who'd of thought? It was no secret to Jace's friends and family that he liked a woman's company, but he made sure never to be labelled a player, for that was one thing he was not. Every sexual relationship he had was explicitly labelled a fling from the get-go, so that nobody would be hurt or strung along. Every girl knew what they were getting into, and every girl agreed that there would be no emotional attachment. That's how he liked it - steamy, fast, with no strings attached. Not to mention that he never had time to commit, due to his job.

His friends always made comments that he would have to settle down sooner or later, but he always shoved them off. Truth be told he thought he'd be dead before that happened, given his line of work. He risked his life every day to protect others, and it was always like a game of Russian Roulette as to what would happen each day. Would he be attacked by an assassin today? What about a crazed mafia mob member? Every day was a surprise, and every day could be his last.

A loud knock on the door drew Jace's attention away from Isabelle's door, and he headed over to answer it. The blond Morgenstern wasn't what he was expecting, and he tilted his head curiously at the boy. "Evening," he nodded to him curtly, though was only treated with a killer glare. Jace furrowed his brows.

"Listen, blondie," the taller boy pointed a nagging finger to Jace's chest as he spoke. "I get that you're here to protect me and my sister with your _secret agent_ bullshit, but -" Jace grabbed the front of his shirt as soon as he begun to utter those words, yanking him none too nicely into the apartment and slamming the door behind him.

"You need to learn to shut your mouth, _Morgenstern_." Jace hissed as he glared furiously at the taller boy. "You can't just go shouting that in the middle of an apartment complex. Who knows who might be listening. I know Alec told you about the situation for your own protection, but I will not hesitate in locking you up for your own good if you even begin to utter anything of the sort ever again." He growled through his teeth, still holding onto his shirt. Jace was inches away from Jonathan's face at this point, squaring up confidently to him.

Jonathan grabbed Jace's hand that was on his clothes and pulled him harshly away, backing up several paces so there was some space between the two boys. "I didn't come here to blow your cover, alright? I came here to tell you to stay the hell away from my sister."

"Believe it or not, sunshine, my job is to protect your sister. I can't exactly do that if insecure big brother is threatening me." He spat back at him in an incredulous tone, waving his arms about animatedly as he spoke. Before he could comprehend much else, he was pushed up against the back of the door with Jonathan's arm placed firmly across his chest.

Jace growled at the boy as he heard a door opening from somewhere in the apartment, though he paid no attention to it. He thrust his head forward, connecting it with the boy's nose in an attempt to throw him off. Jonathan stumbled back with a cry of pain, releasing Jace from the door to clutch at his nose. Just as Jace was about to swing for him, he felt small hands wrap around his wrists, restraining them. He turned to the side to see Isabelle pulling him back, looking back to Jonathan to see Alec restraining him from attacking Jace again.

"Someone tell me what the hell is going on here." It was Alec who growled at the two boys, both of which were glaring daggers at each other. Isabelle had the bigger situation to handle as Jace pulled against her grip, while Jonathan was mostly still.

"This stuck up _brat_ ," Jace nodded his head dismissively in Jonathan's direction, "thought it was a bright idea to come in here and start spouting his mouth, telling me what to do and what not to do."

"First off, _you're_ the one who dragged _me_ into your apartment." He started forwards towards Jonathan and Alec placed a firm hand on his chest to pull him back. "Secondly, all I said is that you need to stay away from my sister."

"Yeah, and then you attacked me when I said that I was just doing my job." Jace managed to throw Isabelle off him as he yelled at the Morgenstern, though he wasn't furious enough anymore to hit him.

"Enough!" Alec shouted, stepping in between the two boys. Isabelle stood to the side of Jace, watching the three boys warily. Alec glanced between Jonathan and Jace, a calculating expression on his face. "Jonathan, coming here and attacking Jace will bring you no good." He explained with a tilt of his head. "We are here to do a job, and you doing so will not make it any easier. And you," he turned on Jace this time, who folded his arms as he childishly awaited his scolding. "Do your job, and nothing more. Got it?"

"Got it, father." Jace saluted him mockingly as he pressed his lips into a sour line, standing aside from the door as Jonathan began to barge his way out. He made sure to knock Jace's shoulder with his own, though Jace just chuckled to the ground at the childishness. Once the door was shut, he let out a loud sigh. "By the Angel, that boy needs a chill pill."

"He's right, Jace. Both of them." Isabelle stepped in front of Jace to force him to look at her. She wasn't angry, but she wasn't exactly his best friend either. "You explicitly being around Clary, alone, is just asking for trouble. Don't let it happen, alright?"

Jace rolled his eyes at the girl he called his sister, glancing between her and Alec with eyebrows raised. "We were training. Jesus, one of the best Agents in the past fifty years and this is the kind of scrutiny I get? Brilliant."

"Jace, you know that's not what we're doing." Alec stepped forwards with his arms folded across his chest. "You could lose your badge if The Academy find out anything's going on between you both. We're just trying to protect you."

"She's a nice girl, a good girl, and she doesn't need you of all people dragging her into this life." Isabelle threw her hands around the room pointedly, and Jace scoffed.

"In case you didn't notice, she's our _client_. She's already been dragged into this life whether she knows it, likes it, or otherwise."

"Nothing's going on with Clary and I, alright?" Jace dropped his hands to his sides with a pointed _thwack._ He looked between his siblings, before shaking his head and storming off towards his room.

Nothing was going on with him and Clary - right?

* * *

 _Some protective Jonathan because that's my favourite Jonathan, a little insight to Jace's feelings for Clary, as well as some... friendly reminders. I'm proud of this chapter, especially the first scene, and so I hope you enjoy it. Love you all!_


	16. Roses and Revelations

**Chapter Sixteen - Roses and Revelations**

 _As you can tell by the amount of chapter songs there are, this is gonna be a long chapter. 8,611 words to be exact. It's 90% romance so I hope all you Clace shippers are ready._

 _Chapter Songs;_

 _Scene One; These Boots Are Made for Walkin' - Nancy Sinatra  
_ _Scene Two; Life is Good - 8mm  
_ _Scene Three and Four; 3 Spoons of Suga - Sugababes  
Scene Five; Speechless - Morning Parade  
Scene Six; Wicked Game - Gemma Hayes_

* * *

Friday went by slower than Clary would have liked, though a part of her was slightly thankful that the day dragged on. She didn't know what to expect when it came to her date with Jace that evening, and she wasn't sure whether she should be excited or cautious - so, she was both. She had called Magnus up on her break during the day in an attempt to put her concerns at bay, and he had promised he would come and help her get ready beforehand. She was thankful for that, as she knew how Magnus worked when it came to styling her. Isabelle dressing her for her party the week before had been unpredictable and, although she looked attractive, Clary didn't feel entirely comfortable. Magnus knew not to overstep boundaries, and she also trusted him more.

Apparently Jace had told the aforementioned raven-haired girl about their date, since she ambushed Clary after her sculpting class.

Looping her arm with Clary's in a sisterly manner, Isabelle leaned against the smaller girl with a small smile. "So I hear that you're going on a date with my brother?" Judging by the tone of her voice she was definitely trying to get information out of Clary, though the red-head wasn't entirely sure what information there was to get.

Clary nodded as they walked towards the building where both of them had their next class. "He asked me yesterday before training. It's the least I could do after everything he's done for me."

"So, it's a pity date?" Isabelle arched an accusatory eyebrow, still proding for information. Clary was slightly offended that she would suggest such a thing, that she would think Clary to be the type of girl who would go on 'pity dates'.

"It's not a pity date." She shook her head with a small sigh, looking out to her side. "I like him. I do, Izzy, I really do." She felt eyes boring into the side of her head as she spoke, but she ignored Isabelle's insistent gaze. "I just don't know what to expect. I've never really done the whole dating thing."

Isabelle stopped suddenly at that, bringing Clary to a halt as well since they were linked together by their arms. Izzy grabbed her shoulders and spun her around, looking down at her with a surprised expression. "What do you mean you've never done the whole dating thing? Weren't you and Sebastian dating?"

"We weren't dating, Izzy." She huffed at the mention of his name again, wanting nothing more than to forget him. It seemed like just as she was about to, somebody had to bring him up. "It was more of a fling, but without the sex. Friends with half benefits." She squinted her eyes and shook her head at her stupid phrase for what she'd call their relationship. They weren't dating, they weren't sleeping together - they had just been in a kind of awkward in between state.

That seemed to stump Isabelle even further. "Okay, so, let me get this straight." She dropped her hands from Clary's shoulders and were using them to talk instead, punctuating her words. "You've never dated, you never had sex with Sebastian. I can't imagine you being the one-night-stand type of person, no offence," Clary shrugged her shoulders at that. None taken. "What have you done?"

Clary wrapped her arms around herself and mumbled to herself as she looked down at the grass beneath her feet. "Um, kissed? Made out? That's pretty much it." She had never been one to be embarrassed by her lack of experience, but suddenly, under the eagle eye of Isabelle, she did. There was no doubt in her mind that Isabelle had had her fair share of guys, and there was no doubt that Jace had had his fair share of girls. She was a million times less experienced than him, and that scared her. She didn't know what to expect from him, and she didn't know what to expect from the date. She was scared.

"Clary, listen to me." Isabelle's voice was softer, almost like a mother's, as she put a comforting hand on Clary's right shoulder. She squeezed it comfortingly. "Jace... Jace isn't really the type for relationships. I don't exactly know what's going through his mind right now, but I don't want you getting hurt. You're a really good person, and you don't deserve that. Just- just promise me that you'll think of yourself first, alright? Don't let Jace hurt you."

Clary didn't know what to say at that. It sounded like she was implying that she knew her brother would hurt her - but how could she know that? Isabelle said it herself - she doesn't know what's going through Jace's mind. Maybe he was looking for a relationship. Maybe he had more feelings for Clary than he'd ever had for another girl. It was possible, right? Nobody could live a bachelor's life their entire time on this earth. Maybe she would be the one to change that about him.

"Thank you, Izzy. Really." Clary reached up to give the taller girl a tight hug, a wave of appreciation flooding over her. For the first time in forever, Clary felt like she had a true female friend. Someone she could talk to about boy troubles, about her family. Isabelle seemed to be looking out for her, and she really was thankful for that. Izzy gave her a small smile and another squeeze of her shoulder, before heading to her own classroom.

* * *

It was a little after four and Clary was returning from her ensuite, seeing Magnus' lazy figure draped across her bed. He was half sat up against the headboard with pillows surrounding himself, his legs stretched out straight in front with his ankles crossed. She chuckled to herself as she took in his 6 foot 5 form, and she saw his eyes peek over the top of the classic novel he was reading.

"What are you laughing at, Biscuit?" Although she couldn't see his mouth, she could tell by the tone of his voice that he was smiling. She shrugged, pulling her towel tighter around her waist as she approached him to sit besides him. She tilted her head to see the front cover of the book he was reading, seeing the beautiful gold calligraphy of 'Pride and Prejudice'." She cocked a curious eyebrow at him, which he ignored, his eyes going back to reading the book in his hands.

"You know, I never pegged you for a hopeless romantic type." Clary shrugged as she shuffled herself off the bed, heading over to her wardrobe. What once was a series of baggy blacks and greys was now a seemingly more colourful array of clothes, thanks to Magnus. Her clothing style for her whole 18 years of living was basic, comfortable, and borderline tomboyish. Magnus had been outraged the first time he saw her closet when she first moved in with Jonathan, demanding that she allow him to buy her some 'better clothes', as he had put it. She had agreed, but only on the condition that she had veto power. He was reluctant, but eventually gave in to working together.

"Who says I'm a hopeless romantic?" Magnus' spoke from his position on her bed as she flicked through the hangers full of clothes, some too outlandish for a simple date while others were too casual. She sighed, which caught the attention of her cat-eyed friend. He dog-eared the book and placed it on her bedside table, graciously making his way to loom behind her. "What I am, though, is your fashion _saviour._ " He gave her a cocky grin, and she rolled her eyes as he reached over her to start rummaging through her clothes himself.

She let him do his magic as she went to go and sit on the tall wheely chair at her vanity, taking in her appearance absentmindedly in the mirror. She noticed her hair had darkened over the past few months from it's original bright, almost ginger colour, and her face seemed more defined. Gone was the childish cheeks and the round face, replaced by something more heartshaped with flawlessly sculpted cheekbones. She smiled at the thought as she realised she had begun to look more like her mother, with exception to the dark freckles scattered at the centre of her face.

"How about this?" Magnus spun around from his place in front of her wardrobe with an emerald green dress dangled from a hanger in his arms. He held it up in front of him as if he was comparing the size to his body, and she stood up and made her way over to him and the outfit. She ran a hand over it to feel the material, it being soft and cold. She continued up the side and down the arms, seeing they were long sleeved. She liked the look of it, at least on the hanger, and vaguely remembered when she and Magnus bought it. She nodded up at him with a smile, seeing him with an ecstatic expression as she agreed to the outfit.

He set it aside carefully on her bed before guiding her over to the vanity where her makeup lay. She was still wrapped up in her towel as she sat down at the wheely chair again, but she didn't care. She was comfortable with everything around Magnus, and sometimes she dared to call him her best friend over Simon. It was a sour thought, given that she and Simon had known each other since they were practically in diapers, but her friendship with Magnus was different to the one she had with Simon.

Simon was someone she could mess around with and let her hair down with, both literally and figuratively. Simon was the type of guy that made you _want_ to like him, with a heart of gold and nerves of steel. Well, not quite, but you get the point. He was the type of boy that every mother dreamed their daughter would meet - someone who would call them 'Misses', who would bring their daughter home twenty minutes before curfew, who would ask her father's permission before asking for her hand in marriage. At one point, Clary even thought he was the type of guy she wanted.

One drunken stupor in their final year of High School lead to them making out in some back room at a friends house party. In the heat of the moment, everything felt right, but with the guilt and the wave of a hangover the next morning, she realised how wrong it all felt. It felt like she was kissing her brother. It killed her to face him the entire rest of the week, but she knew she had to face him. Once she explained how she felt, she could physically see how she had broken his heart, but he seemed to accept that she didn't return his feelings.

Things had been awkward between them for next couple weeks, though eventually they managed to get back in their stride. Things were never one hundred percent the same, but Clary was thankful that her stupid mistake hadn't completely cost her their friendship.

Magnus, however, seemed to be completely care free of any drama. Sure, he had as many problems as your typical _freewheeling bisexual_ has, but they were always trivial things that they could both laugh over together. Clary never had to worry about falling for him, for she never saw him in that way. He was like the gay best friend that every teenage girl dreamed of having, except better.

Clary sighed contently to herself as she focused on the brush painting sweet liquid onto her lips, drying seconds after. Her eyes were closed as she let Magnus make her over, though she could tell that he had put considerably less makeup on her than Isabelle had the previous week. For that, she was thankful. Her face was free of any tools for a moment, before she was hit square in the face with a huge fluffy brush and a puff of powder.

She scrunched up her face and coughed away the powder, opening her eyes to look up at Magnus. "Jeeze, Mags, was that necessary?" He gave her a fleetingly apologetic look before gesturing for her to close her eyes again. She obeyed with a sigh, allowing him to mull over her for a few more minutes.

Again, unlike Isabelle, Magnus barely touched Clary's hair. She had let it run free while he did her makeup so that it could dry, and occasionally she felt him bunch up some of her curls for a few seconds before letting them drop again. She could only imagine that he was making them curlier, but she couldn't imagine why - weren't they curly enough?

After what seemed like decades, but realistically was only a little over an hour, Magnus completely backed away from her. "And you're done." He clapped his hands together excitedly and placed his hands on the back of her chair, and she felt herself being spun around to presumably be facing the mirror. "You can open your eyes."

Clary opened her eyes to take a look at herself in the mirror, her expression completely neutral at first. She had to hold in a gasp as she looked at her reflection. As if it was even possible, she thought she looked even prettier than Isabelle had made her look. Izzy had made her look _hot_ , but Magnus had managed to capture her natural beauty and made her look _beautiful._

Her eyebrows were filled in to give her a perfect arched shape, being slightly browner than her hair colour, framing her delicate eyes. She was certain that Magnus couldn't of left her eyelashes natural, for they were exceptionally long, yet they still seemed to remain the coppery red colour they were in their natural state. Her eyelids were soft shades of brown with a delicate sprinkling of glitter across the centre. She giggled at that detail, knowing Magnus never went anywhere without some sort of glitter incoperated into his attire. She had a gentle cat eye which was barely visible, though it accentuated her eyes into more of a sultry shape as opposed to their usual dough-eyed look. Her freckles were even more prominent than usual, though they seemed to blend flawlessly with the rest of her skin. A soft pink hue danced across the top of her cheekbones, though she made a mental comment to herself that it probably wasn't necessary - Jace was more than able to make her blush in every situation. A very light pink lipstick adorned her lips, almost matching the exact shade of her natural lips.

She had been right with her suspicions on what he was doing to her hair - the ringlets were definitely curlier than usual. Rather than being wild and unruly, however, they seemed more purposeful as they cascaded down her back to about mid-back, as well as several shorter pieces falling in front of her shoulders and framing her face.

Her eyes found Magnus' in the mirror, who had been watching her the entire time, and she smiled. "Thank you." Her voice was just above a whisper, and he just nodded with a smile back. He stepped away from the mirror and headed for her bed, picking up her dress and holding it out delicately for her. She took the dress with a smile, grabbing the undergarments Magnus also appeared to of laid out for her, before retreating into the bathroom to change.

The dress went straight across her chest, exposing her collarbones and shoulders, before stretching the entire way down her arms to her wrist. The hem of the skirt came to about mid-thigh, and the entire piece fitted perfectly to her body. She had slipped on a pair of black dolly shoes with a gold band across the front, and spun around slightly as she looked at her appearance in the mirror with a childish giggle. The dress hugged her breasts and her hips and her stomach and her bottom and her thighs perfectly, a sight she never thought she'd see.

Magnus was stood on the other side of the room with his arms folded across the chest, smiling at Clary as if he was a father watching his daughter get ready for her first date. It kind of felt like that to both of them, in reality. Once she was done twirling around like a little girl, Clary skipped her way across the room to beam up at Magnus. "What's next, my Fairy God Mother?" She giggled, and he shook his head fondly at her.

He pushed off the wall he had been leaning against to grab a bag from her bed, turning and handing it to her. It was black and gold, like her shoes, and almost oblong shaped. The strap was a golden chain, and when she put it on her shoulder it bounced lightly against her hip. "What's next, is I give you a pep talk." Clary rolled her eyes at that and began walking away from him, heading for the door. He grabbed her wrist before she could get too far and pulled her back with a "nuh-uh."

"Golden boy out there may be taking you out on a date, but remember you are in control." He tapped her nose gently as he said 'you', and she wrinkled it up slightly at his touch. "If you feel uncomfortable, then you tell him, and you leave. If he does something you don't want him to do, then you tell him." Clary felt the lecture was slightly ridiculous, but she knew that he was only looking after her. "And most importantly," a mischievous smirk crossed his lips. "Make sure he pays for everything."

Clary's mouth dropped open in shock at that, and she smacked his arm with her purse he had given her. "Magnus! I am not a cheap shot, okay? I will pay if I want to pay."

"No, you won't." He tilted his head with a stern voice, placing his hands on either of her shoulders. "You're the lady of the night, and he should treat you as so."

There was a soft knock at the front door, and Clary took in a deep breath as her eyes widened. Magnus' own darted towards her bedroom door with a soft smile, before looking down at the red head. "Now, go knock his socks off."

* * *

Clary left the protection of her bedroom alone, leaving Magnus behind. He wanted to give them both some privacy as she left, stating he'd leave once they were out of the apartment block. She was further thankful that Isabelle had managed to drag Simon away for the night, and Jonathan was at a party with his lacrosse team. Who knows what they'd do if they were here.

She hesitated at the door as another knock came upon it, louder now that she was right in front of it. She took a deep breath and wrapped her hand around the door handle, swinging it open in one swift movement. Her eyes darted up at the figure in front of her, seeing he had been turned slightly to the side. His eyes were drawn from the floor and immediately fixated on hers, and Clary's breath hitched in her throat. He looked absolutely _perfect_ , his long-sleeved white button up hugging him delightfully in every place, tight around his arms as they showed the muscles beneath them, even showing the subtle contours of the muscles on his chest and torso. The top two buttons were undone, and Clary could see his defined collarbones as well as a silver chain draped around his neck. His black slacks also hugged his legs perfectly, and were paired with smart black shoes.

He smiled that dazzling smile at her once she finished giving him a once over, and she was almost certain she would black out as her legs turned to jelly beneath her. He pulled his hand away from behind his back, producing a luxurious bouquet of what seemed to be two dozen deep burgundy roses. She felt like she could almost cry as she set her gaze on them, and she looked back up into his golden eyes with an incredulous look. "These are for you." His voice was soft as she wrapped her hands around the bottom of the flowers, bringing them up to her nose to inhale the scent deeply. The tops of the petals were scattered with a light spray of golden dust, making them really pop.

She smiled at him, stepping inside her apartment to quickly place them in a vase of water. She put them on the island in the kitchen, deciding she would place them in her room once she returned, before walking back to Jace. With one last check that she had everything she needed, she closed the door.

Clary hadn't realised how close she was to Jace until she turned back around, her nose almost touching his chest. He backed up slightly to give her a space, but not so far that she felt disappointed. He smiled down at her once again, and she noticed she hadn't said anything yet. "You look, really, really... _fantastic._ " She let out with a breathy laugh, and she listened to him returning that with a light chuckle.

"Thank you, Clary. Although I must say that it is _me_ who is the lucky one tonight, for you look simply _stunning_." It was the first time somebody who wasn't her mother or brother called her such a flattering term, and even then they had never gone so far to call her stunning. Pretty, yes, beautiful, yes. Stunning? Never. She felt a wave of joy flush over her as she soaked in the compliment, as if her goal all along while she was getting ready was to impress him. Maybe it was, subconsciously.

A warm heat rose to her cheeks and she looked away to the floor until it subsided, before looking back up at him. "Thank you. I'm honestly really excited."

"As am I." He cocked his arm to the side and gestured for her to take it. "Shall we?" Clary nodded with an ear-to-ear grin, looping her arm with his before making their way down the stairs - together.

* * *

It had taken Jace a while to get away from the parents that were Alec and Isabelle, since they didn't seem to want to shut up with their incessant questions on where he was going, who he had flowers for, why he was dressed so nicely; but eventually he managed to escape, and now he found himself at Clary's door.

To say he was nervous was an understatement - why was he nervous? Jace Herondale didn't get nervous - he made them nervous. But Clary was different. That much was obvious from the moment he set his gaze on her over a week ago, in the exact same spot where he was stood now. It was crazy to think how one girl could get him so riled up, especially someone who visually seemed as ordinary as Clary. But she was far from ordinary, at least in Jace's books. Not only was she visually gorgeous, but she was slowly becoming one of the most important people in his life, and she didn't even know. At first he put his protective nature over the fact that she was his client, but as the days went on he realised it was something more than that. He begun to realise that he wanted to protect her on his own accord, even in matters that didn't concern him. When she was emotionally hurting, he wanted to be the one to wrap his arms around her small frame and hug away the pain. That wasn't his job, but he wanted it to be.

He shook himself to pull him back to reality, to get out of his own head, and took a deep breath. "Come on, Herondale." He muttered to himself as he tilted his head either side to stretch his neck, before knocking twice at the door. No going back now. He stood there waiting for what seemed like hours, but realistically was only a few minutes, and decided to knock again. Was he being annoying? Insecure? He didn't care. The blood pounding in his ears was too loud for him to notice much else.

The world seemed to disappear around Jace as the door he had been focusing so intently on opened up, revealing the most breath-taking sight he could of expected. Her fiery red hair was the first thing that he noticed, it being pretty hard to miss, and he couldn't help but notice that it somehow looked curlier. Despite it's curls it was tame, and shiny, and Jace had to resist the urge to run his fingers through it as he turned his attention to the rest of her. The dark green - almost black - dress suited her perfectly, and Jace made a mental note of how much better she looked in it than she did when Isabelle had dressed her. She had looked sexy, Jace couldn't fault that, but now she seemed much more comfortable in what she wore. Confidence suited her. Although it was long and covering, it left little to the imagination as it hugged every inch of her body _deliciously._

He noticed that she was looking him up and down much like he had her, and he couldn't help the small, sly smirk that appeared on his lips. He pulled the bundle of roses that he had hidden behind his back to present to her, it being so big he almost couldn't see her over the top. It didn't help that she was short, either, but he still liked that about her. "These are for you." Her eyes were glassy, he noticed, and he couldn't help the small feeling of dread in his stomach as he thought he did something wrong. Did she hate roses? Was she allergic? Maybe they reminded her of a bad memory.

His worries were sat at ease when she took them and inhaled deeply. At least she wasn't allergic. He watched as she gave him a small smile, before moving quickly back into her apartment. Jace hovered awkwardly at the door, unsure whether to wait or follow her in. Luckily she was pretty quick in putting the flowers into her apartment, and was back out to him within sixty seconds.

Jace chuckled quietly to himself as Clary turned around, their proximity quite close. He could smell her strawberry shampoo from this distance. He took a step back to give her space, though internally his body was screaming at him to close the gap even further. "You look, really, really... _fantastic_." He couldn't help but notice how flustered she was when she spoke, and that made him chuckle once again. He was glad that he had that type of effect on her.

He gave her one more glance over and smiled gleefully. "Thank you, Clary. Although I must say that it is _me_ who is the lucky one tonight, for you look simply _stunning_." The blush that crept over her cheeks was adorable.

"Thank you. I'm honestly really excited."

"As am I." He cocked his arm to the side and gestured for her to take it. "Shall we?" As soon as he felt her arm loop with his, he made his way down the stairs and guided her to his car. He helped her into the passenger seat before jogging around the front and climbing into the drivers side.

"Am I allowed to know what you have planned?" Her small voice, full of wonder, piped up from besides him as he reversed onto the man road and headed off. He could feel her gaze on the side of his face, and the corner of his mouth twitched up into a smirk that he knew would make her blush.

"Do you always like secrets being spoiled?" He fired back playfully as he drove, taking a moment to glance at her from the corner of his eyes. She was leaning back against the chair with her dainty legs crossed, and her hands in her lap. She was looking at the road, though judging by the look in her eyes she was trying hard to focus on it, and not him. "Me telling you where we're going is like you reading the last page of a book before even opening the front cover." She seemed to laugh at that, which was music to his ears.

By the time Jace stopped the car outside of a very modern looking restaurant outside of the city, it was around 6.30, and the sun was beginning to set. Jace ran around the car to get Clary's door for her and once again looped their arms together as he guided her into the restaurant. "This place looks incredible." Clary gawked in awe.

The building was rather tall and square with floor-to-ceiling windows covering the entire front of it. The top of the front was decorated with Gothic-styled designed, though they looked sparkling brand new, with a lion's head sculpted into the stone front and centre. Through the windows you could see a black-and-red decorated lobby with luxurious black marble pillars around the room that doubled as supporting structures as well as aesthetic purposes. Million dollar paintings adorned the entirety of the walls once they walked inside, and several couples and groups of people were either sat at red comfy chairs with low black tables or stood around the room with glasses of champagne in their hands, chatting idly.

Jace walked the pair up to where the maitre d' was stood behind a podium. She looked rather young for a maitre d', maybe mid twenties, and was of average height - taller than Clary, but shorter than Jace. Her silky black hair was pinned elegantly into a low bun sat at the bottom of her neck, and she was dressed in a flowing white blouse and a tight black pencil skirt. She smiled up at Jace as they approached, her brown eyes twinkling in the atmospheric lighting. "Good evening sir, madam," she spoke with a slight French accent as she nodded to both of them. "May I take your name?"

"Herondale, table for two." The woman nodded and typed in the details into her computer, her eyes scanning the screen momentarily.

"Perfect." She smiled, taking two long and thin menus from the stack besides her and stepping out from behind the podium. "If you'd like to follow me to your table."

The woman guided them beyond two giant oak doors into the main dining room, which Jace figured was about the size of half a football pitch. The carpet was a very deep burgundy colour and the tables and chairs alternated between black and silver. The same marble pillars from in the lobby lined the dining room, though they seemed more orderly. Jace guessed that it was to help waiters know where each section ended. The woman continued past most of the dining room in which every single table was full, before turning to the left wall where windows continued to line it from floor to ceiling. The table she sat them at was black, and the table had flecks of silver specks within its design. The maitre d' pulled Clary's chair out for her and pushed it in slightly as she sat, before taking the napkin on the table and draping it across her lap. She gave her one of the menus before turning to Jace, placing his napkin on his lap and handing him his own menu.

"My name is Sylvia Belrose and I am the maitre d', your waiter Vanessa should be over momentarily to take your drinks orders." She smiled at the couple, tapping her ear piece slightly before speaking again. "If you have any concerns or worries, please let Vanessa or me know. I hope you enjoy your meal." She cast them one last nod before quickly walking away in her heels, back towards the lobby once again.

Jace set his gaze on Clary and gave her a comforting smile as he watched her look around the place with admiration and awe. Her mouth was open in a slight 'o' shape. "You like?" He arched a cocky eyebrow, knowing that he'd outdone himself. She bit her lower lip and looked at him with a nod.

"This place is stunning, Jace. I can't even begin to comprehend how you got a reservation here - it seems awfully fancy, not to mention expensive." Jace had a feeling that she would bring up money at some point, though he had assumed she'd mention it at the end of the date while she tried to force his hand into making her pay half. Jace reached over the table and laced her hand that was resting by her empty wine glass, giving it a comforting squeeze.

"Please don't fluster yourself over prices, Clary. As much as I love to see your rosy red cheeks when you are flustered, I assure you that I have more than enough to cover the expenses of the night." He didn't mean to make it sound like he was loaded - he just wanted to try and settle her worries about the cost of things. Yes, the restaurant was expensive and yes, he'd had to pay extra to get a reservation at such late notice, but he wanted to do it. He wanted to do it for her.

Clary looked like she was just about to say something when their waiter, Vanessa, appeared besides their table. She was rather tall, perhaps Jace's height, with beautiful curly brown hair that stretched all the way to the centre of her back. She had bright green eyes, though not as stunningly vibrant as Clary's, and wore the same outfit as the maitre d' before her did. "Good evening, my name is Vanessa and I will be your waiter for this evening. What are your names?" She seemed very open and friendly and was very obviously trying her hardest to get both Jace and Clary involved. Clary offered her a smile, speaking first.

"My name's Clary, this is Jace." Vanessa nodded to both of them with a very genuine smile, lacing her hands in front of her black apron.

"Pleasure to meet you. Can I get you both any drinks?"

"We'll take a pitcher of water, and whatever the red wine special is." Jace commented with a smile, looking over to Clary to see if she had any complaints. He could see the slight hesitation in her eyes at his request of alcohol, knowing full well that they were both underage and both in a very public space. Jace knew she had nothing to worry about, however, since he spoke with such confidence as that of an adult would. If worse comes to worse, anyhow, he had a fake ID in his wallet that he used for such circumstances.

As expected, the waiter just nodded with a smile and told them both that she'd be back with that right away before turning on her heels and heading in the direction of the bar in the back right corner. Jace turned to Clary who was looking at him with a small hint of a laugh on her lips. He tilted his head curiously, putting on an innocent act. "What's wrong, Miss Fray? Cat got your tongue?"

"You know you could get us into serious trouble. Right?" Her piercing eyes were looking between both of his as she spoke, and all of a sudden Jace couldn't help but notice that she had withdrawn her hand from his whilst their waitor was over, placing them both in her lap. He tried not to frown as he looked back up at her with a challenging expression.

"You know that I am Jace Herondale, _right_?" He gave her a wink with a wicked smirk on his lips. "I'm always on the verge of trouble. You better get used to it if we're gonna be spending so much time together on these dates."

* * *

Clary was starstruck by how _incredible_ everything about the restaurant Jace had taken her to was; the interior was beautiful, and Clary had the urge to draw everything; the staff were delightfully nice and polite, and the food was fantastic. Turns out it was an Italian restaurant, which Clary had to admit was her favourite. The entire menu was set out in a very Italian style, with a starter, pasta dish, meat dish, and dessert. She wasn't used to so much food.

She had ordered an asparagus risotto for starters, _tricolore pistachio pesto pasta_ for her second dish, with a New York Strip steak with truffle fries for her meat dish. Jace had ordered scallops, a Carbonara pasta, and a herby Italian pizza. The meal had been incredible, and their conversation flowed perfectly as the night went on. While Clary had been nervous before the night begun, she now found that those nerves had disappeared and she was full of joy and confidence. Perhaps the red wine had assisted with that confidence boost, but she didn't much care.

Their waiter, Vanessa, a delightful young girl, had just taken away the empty plates for the last meal and was giving them some time for their meals to settle before she brought out their dessert. Clary leaned forwards towards Jace as she took a sip of her red wine. Her other hand was placed at the side of their table, and at some point during their meal Jace had linked his own with hers. She hadn't moved it this time, and was enjoying him rubbing soothing circles on the back of her hand with his thumb.

"What are your parents like?" Jace asked, leaning forwards on his other arm that was on the table in front him. "You've never really mentioned them." Clary placed her glass down to the side and cast her gaze down slightly, not sure if she was ready to tell him everything about her parents. She felt strong fingers capture her chin and force her gaze up, and she found herself looking into Jace's. "If you don't want to tell me, then I understand. I'm not gonna force you into anything."

Clary hesitated for a moment before shaking her head, taking the hand that was holding her chin with her other free one. Now he held her left while she held his right. She rubbed the back of his soothingly like he had with her, looking at their intertwined hands. "My mother died a little after my 16th." She admitted with a solemn voice. "She was in a car crash, and the coroner's report said she had died upon impact." She felt Jace squeeze her hand comfortingly, and she looked up at him. He looked at her with a sympathetic expression, no ounce of pity within it. He raised his eyebrows to say that she could go on if she wished, but didn't push her into telling him.

"She was brilliant, though, when she was alive. She was my absolute best friend." She grinned at Jace as the fond memories she shared with her mother appeared in her mind. "She was funny, always cared about Jonathan and I. She taught me almost everything I know about art. She was incredibly talented - one of her pieces is even hanging in the National Art Gallery in the city."

"Really?" Jace's eyes widened with excitement at that, and Clary nodded. He grinned. "That's incredible. You must be some talented artist, then, if you share half your genes with her." That made Clary blush, and she giggled quietly to herself as she looked down at her lap. She liked to think she had inherited her mother's talent, though she knew she'd never be as good as she was. There was a moments pause as Clary continued to smile slightly to herself, still reminiscing in thoughts of her mother. "What about your father?" There was a different edge to Jace's tone as he spoke, but Clary wasn't entirely sure what it was.

"My dad is... a businessman." She nodded as she looked back up to Jace who was watching her with a calculated expression. "He's all about his Empire. Always has been, really. For as long as I can remember he'd always choose business meetings over Jonathan's lacrosse games, or he'd be flying to some property across the country instead of helping me with my homework." She shrugged slightly, as if it didn't really affect her. Truth be told, it didn't. He had been like that ever since she was little, so she had gotten used to it pretty easily.

"He kind of broke when my mother died. Well, before that, anyway." She was looking just past Jace's shoulder now, though it wasn't on purpose. She was simply staring off into space as her words came falling out on their own accord. "My mom started filing for a divorce a couple months before her accident. Moved out and everything. She moved in with her best friend, a guy called Luke. My father always tried to imply that she was cheating, but there'd never been any proof. I tried to go with her, but she insisted that my father needed his children to keep him together. I guess she was right. He fell apart even with Jonathan and I there - who knows what he would have been like without us."

"After she died, he kind of started ignoring me. More so than before, if that was even possible. But it wasn't just ignoring me, it was more like he hated me." She flinched slightly as a memory came into her mind, but she quickly cast it aside. "I used to think it was because I looked so much like my mother. That maybe I reminded him of his ex-wife who left him and supposedly cheated on him. I mean, it's reason enough, right?" She finally turned her gaze to Jace, who looked like he was deep in thought as he watched her. He let the hand go that he had been holding to capture her chin, gently though firmly.

"Listen to me, Clary." His voice sounded slightly broken, though she wasn't sure why. "No reason is reason enough for a father to treat his daughter as anything less than a princess." He moved his fingers to cup her cheek, and she automatically leaned into his touch. He rubbed her cheekbone lightly with a comforting smile. "You didn't do anything wrong, okay? You were a perfect daughter."

She nodded with a small smile, moving her hand to lace it with his that had been cupping her cheek. She placed both their hands in the centre of the table, and he shifted them so he was holding hers. She looked at them as he rubbed small circles on the back of hers, before looking up at him with glassy eyes. "What about your parents? What are they like?"

"Well, I'm adopted, like you know." He nodded, and she remembered that he had mentioned he was Isabelle and Alec's adopted brother. "My biological father died before I was born, and my mother died during childbirth with me, so I don't exactly miss them." He was very matter-of-fact as he spoke, and Clary nodded in understandment at his statement. How can you miss someone you never even knew, related or not? "Maryse and Robert are the best parents I could ask for, though. Maryse especially. She always makes sure that all of her children are taken care of, that everyone is happy, all the while being the boss of her department at her work. My dad's a lawyer, and my mom works for the government." Clary's eyes widened in both shock and respect, realising how high up his parents were in the world. No wonder he seemed so well-off, despite being only 19.

"My father's a little conservative, very strict, a very by-the-book man. But he tries, there's no doubt about that." He spoke of his parents with such respect and admiration, Clary couldn't help but smile. "He doesn't particularly approve of Alec being gay, or Isabelle's style, or my attitude, but at the end of the day we're his kids, and he loves us unconditionally."

Their waiter had appeared with their desserts almost as soon as he finished speaking, and Jace thanked her as she left. Clary had gotten a caramel creme brulee while Jace got a slice of 14-layer chocolate cake. Jace dug his fork into the tip of the triangular slice and ate it, releasing a rather erotic moan. Clary blushed and giggled against the back of her hand, and Jace looked up at her with a teasing smirk. "Want a bit?" He scooped up a bit on his fork before she could say yes, leaving her with no choice. They leaned over the table to meet near the middle and Jace moved the fork to her mouth. He rested one hand below her chin in case anything fell as she ate it, and she realised why he made the noise he did. It was _glorious._

Jace looked at her with an arched eyebrow as he awaited her response, and she nodded with a giggle before swallowing. "That was actually incredible." She grinned, taking a sip of her wine. Jace winked at her.

"Told you so."

* * *

The rest of the night was just as pleasant as it slowly came to an end. Jace and Clary had spent a further half an hour after their meal just talking at their table, enjoying each others company. Clary told him more about her childhood, and about Jonathan, and about her art course at NYU. Jace told her about Isabelle and Alec, what he was studying at University - law and politics, though he didn't admit that he wasn't entirely interested in the topic. It was just a cover while he was there to protect Clary.

By the time they had decided to head back home, it was just after 9 at night. It was completely dark outside, save for the atmospheric red lights illuminating the parking lot from the restaurant. The journey home was quicker than before since there was no traffic, and they rode in comfortable silence.

Jace was walking Clary up to her door when she turned around to face him, leaning up against the off white wood of her apartment door. She smiled up at him. "I had a brilliant time tonight, Jace. Thank you."

He shook his head and kept both his expression and voice soft. "Thank you for coming out with me tonight. It wouldn't of been the same had you not of been there." Gone was the cocky bravado he always put on, and here was the real Jace Herondale that he longed for somebody to see - the person he longed for Clary to see.

He could see her eyes darting from his eyes to his mouth, and he held back a smile as her body revealed their true desires. He raised one of his hands up slowly to brush her hair behind her shoulder, before cupping her face. His other hand went to her waist, pulling her cautiously to his body. "Clary," he mumbled under his breath as she placed both her hands on his chest. He was mesmorised by her glorious green eyes, and the feel of her hands slowly trailing their way up his chest to hook around his neck and bury themselves in the hair at the nape of his neck. She was leaning on her tiptoes, but was still too short to touch her lips to his. He allowed himself to grin down at her before moving blindly fast to close the gap, crashing his lips to hers.

Her lips were positively addictive, he noticed, as soon as his touched hers. They were softer than he thought, with a slight moisture about them, but they tasted absolutely incredible. He nipped at her lower lip gently as he asked for entrance, making Clary gasp softly. He used this as his opportunity to deepen the kiss, which he did powerfully. He stumbled her back slightly to press her against her door, her body pressed delightfully up against his as he moved one of his hands from her cheek to wrap around her hair. It was soft and silky and his fingers moved through it with no obstacles, and he clenched it in his tightly as he tried to pull her impossibly close.

Clary whimpered slightly against his lips as she subconsciously bucked her hips into his body, causing Jace to groan erotically against hers. Her hands tightened in his hair and pulled strongly yet pleasantly. Jace realised that he needed to slow down, that he couldn't let anything happen. He fought with himself as he tried to pull back, before eventually finding the strength.

He took in a gasp as he rested his forehead against hers, his body still bent down to hers with his eyes closed. They were both panting, Clary more so than him, and they could feel each others heart beat against their chests. "Clary," his voice was husky and strained, and he tried to shake his head. "Clary, there are things you don't know. Things you need to know, things that... that might change how you look at me." He felt her hands loosen at his scalp, and he couldn't help but think that he had ruined everything. He clenched his muscles as he waited for her to push him away. But it never came.

Instead, a small hand cupped at his cheek and beckoned for him to open his eyes. When he did, he saw that she was gazing up at him with pure adoration and, dare he think it... love? "What is it, Jace?" She seemed to of regained her breath as she spoke, being quiet but somehow still confident. She stroked his cheekbone lightly, causing him to close his eyes lazily again. He soaked in her scent as he just stood there, not sure whether he had the strength to do what he needed to do. "You can tell me. Please, tell me."

He pulled away after a moment and straightened himself up, her hand dropping to his chest alongside her other. He moved his hands so that they rested around her waist, giving himself enough distance to think without being intoxicated by her presence. "It's not something I can just tell you, Clary. It's something you need to see."

"Then show me." She was more determined as her fingers clenched at the fabric against his chest. He sighed in defeat, nodding.

"Okay. I'll show you. Go get changed into something more comfortable, and I'll meet you down by the car. Okay?" He moved a hand to cup her cheek again and she nodded, closing her eyes for a moment. He bent down to press a soft kiss on her cheek, before releasing her to allow her to go into her apartment.

Jace backed up with a sigh, almost collapsing back against his own door with his hands running through his hair. There was no turning back now, and he knew that. But he couldn't let himself get into a relationship with Clary, not before telling her the real reason he was there. She deserved to know that she was endanger, and he didn't want to lie to her. If he told her now, before they went too far, maybe she would understand the situation better.

He sighed again, turning to head into his own apartment to change. This was it. He was about to spill _everything_ to her, the feisty little redhead that he had been sent here to protect. Who knows what Isabelle and Alec would say if he told them. He knew that he'd be dead once they found out, though.

* * *

 _Clace's first date has come to a glorious end with a steamy make out session. I hope y'alls are as excited for Jace to spill the beans as I am. I wonder how Clary will react?_


	17. Jump or Stay in the Boat

**Chapter Seventeen - Jump or Stay in the Boat**

 _Chapter Songs;_

 _Scene One; Somewhere Only We Know - Lily Allen  
_ _Scene Two; Two At a Time - Shelly Fraley  
_ _Scene Three; Secret - The Pierces_

* * *

Clary collapsed heavily against the back of the door as soon as she was inside her apartment, her head spinning from the nights' events. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, but she wasn't panting or hyperventilating like she had been after kissing Jace. She gasped quietly to herself, raising a hand to her lips automatically. She actually kissed Jace. She could still feel the taste of him on her lips, and it made her smile. The strong flavour of mint, the subtle coconut aftertaste. It may seem stupid and generic, but Clary couldn't help but think how utterly unique and fitting it was for him.

She heard footsteps coming from one of the bedrooms on the other side of the apartment, and Clary quickly pushed off the door and ran for her own room. She didn't want to answer questions from Simon nor Jonathan about where she had been, since she knew that they'd definitely have some sort of opinion on the matter. Knowing them they'd keep her on lock down until she told them everything, and what with Jace waiting for her downstairs, she couldn't risk that.

As Clary quickly changed, she wondered what had freaked Jace out before in the stairwell. What secret could he be hiding that could 'change the way she looks at him', as he so put it? She couldn't let herself dwell on the topic too long as she got rid of her nice green dress for something much more comfortable. Truth be told she had no idea what to expect from Jace, or where he would be taking her, so she had no idea what to put on. She threw on a black tank top and one of her brothers' old lacrosse letterman jackets. It was blue base with a silvery-white collar and sleeves, Jonathan's signature number 19 on the back as well as _MORGENSTERN_ written across the top. She threw on a pair of casual yoga pants and those shiny black shoes with the hidden heel, before throwing her hair into a ponytail and exiting the room.

She collided head first into somebody's chest, and judging by the strong hands that caught her from tumbling back it was her brother. "Woah! Sorry!" Clary had her hands on his chest at half an arms length and looked up at him. His hair was wet and his face was blotchy as if he had just gotten out of a shower, and he was looking at her with a curious expression.

"You've been out for hours, where have you been? And where are you going?" He had that dad-tone about him as he spoke, and she realised she was getting herself into the exact situation she didn't want to be in. She shrugged his arms off her and walked past him to grab her bag from the table where she had tossed it upon walking in. Her phone, keys, and money was inside, which she quickly shoved into the pockets of her jacket.

"I was just out to dinner with a friend." She shrugged, making sure she had everything one last time. "They're waiting for me downstairs. We were just going to hang at the park for a little bit."

"Clare," he grabbed her arm just as she opened up the front door, and she turned to look at him. "You know you're a bad liar. Where are you really going?"

"I told you!" Her voice went up an octave as she spoke, and she tried to look at him with the most genuinely innocent expression she could muster. "I'm just going to the park with a friend. I'll be back in an hour or two." Clary managed to release her arm from his grip once again and left the apartment, closing the door behind her. She sighed, thankful that she had managed to get out with minimal damage.

She had just taken the first step down when she heard an apartment door open up, and she stopped in her haste to turn and see if it was Jace coming from his apartment. She frowned in annoyance when she saw Jonathan exiting the apartment with arms folded. "Clary-" he started.

"What, Jonathan?" She was clearly frustrated and exasperated with him as she dropped her hands pointedly to her sides. She glared at her brother in disbelief, having expected him to trust her given that she wasn't a child anymore.

He seemed distressed as he hesitated to answer, before sighing. "Just be safe out there, alright? Call me if anything happens."

"I'll be fine, Jon. I promise." She softened her voice when she realised he was just trying to protect her, and gave him a small smile of reassurance. She blew him a quick kiss before turning back around to head down the stairs before he could change his mind and tried to stop her.

* * *

Clary was quick to reach the bottom of the stairs and bound out onto the sidewalk, seeing Jace already stood there waiting for her. He had changed out of his dinner clothes and was in a pair of ripped black jeans and a dark blue hoodie. His hair was a mess, as if he'd been running his hands through it a million times, and he seemed slightly on edge. His attention was at his feet as Clary approached, too absorbed in his mind to even notice her presence.

"Jace," she called softly once she was close to him, and he looked up. The split second expression of worry disappeared and was replaced with a smile, and Clary questioned herself as to whether she just imagined him frowning since it was so fleeting. She couldn't help but smile up at him, though a nervous pit in her stomach was still doing flips as her mind went over thousands of possible scenarios as to what he wanted to talk to her about.

"Hey," his voice sounded slightly strained, but otherwise it was as flawless as ever. He helped her into her seat before climbing into the drivers side, barely saying anything else. The drive to wherever he was taking her was completely silent, and Clary could see he was nervous about something as his fingers began to tap incessantly on the steering wheel. His brows were furrowed into a tight line, and his expression was hard. Clary reached over to take one of his hands from the steering wheel and watched his reaction cautiously. He froze at the first contact, before she saw him visually relax with a small sigh. She placed his hand in her lap and rubbed soothing circles on the back with his thumb, hoping that it would settle his nerves.

When Jace eventually pulled up to their destination, Clary's expression dropped into one mixed with confusion and worry. She ducked her head down to look up through the windshield at the large, extravagent building presented in front of her. It was an old, run down Cathedral that sat on the outskirts of Brooklyn that was shut down supposedly even before her parents were born in the 70s. Its obvious grandeur still remained, its structure being tall and prominent in the sky with spires that seemed endless as the poked through the clouds in the night sky. Stainless glass windows of beautiful colours surrounded the entire building, some of them depicting historic Catholic events, each being surrounded by gorgeous stone carvings.

Trees surrounding the building had begun to become overgrown as they bent towards the Cathedral, masking parts of its silverish grey stone workings. Ivy grew up the sides of it and across the front, the greens and browns only making the rest of the building seem that much more beautiful.

Clary took a hesitant breath as Jace opened her door for her, and she stepped out warily, all the while her eyes never leaving the ancient structure. She folded her arms against the cool wind and leaned her hip against Jace's car. "Don't tell me you're some kind of Priest sworn to abstinence by the Church?" She glanced up at Jace with her half-hearted joke, though she couldn't help but think that it could be entirely possible. Jace chuckled, looking down to the floor as he shook his head, before looking back up to her. He had a small smile on his lips.

"No, the Church hasn't sworn me to abstinence." He flashed her a cocky wink and looped his fingers in the pockets of her jacket, pulling her close to him so their bodies were pressed flush together. "Thank God." Clary bit her lower lip as she blushed, looking up into his eyes. She placed her hands onto his chest and pushed herself up onto her tiptoes, tilting her head up to him. Her eyes fluttered shut as Jace leaned in impossibly close, and she could feel his breath on her lips. Just as she thought he would kiss her, he stopped, resting his forehead against hers instead. "Clary," she could feel his hot breath against her skin, making her shiver delightfully. "As much as I want to, this is important. I-I can't," he shook his head with a pained expression. "I can't let this continue without you knowing everything."

Clary nodded and rested herself flat on her feet, trying not to let her disappointment show through in her face. She dropped her hands from his chest and rested them on his biceps instead, looking directly into his chest. She felt his lips firmly on her forehead before he pulled away, bending down to try and capture her gaze. "You're just going to have to trust me. Okay?" She let out a small sigh before nodding, and that seemed to satisfy Jace. He pulled away from her, only to capture one of her hands in his, and began to guide her towards the Cathedral.

She wrapped her other arm around his forearm as they walked into the building, and she couldn't help the loud gasp that escaped her lips when she saw what lay ahead. She had expected the typical inside of a Church - pillars, pews, an altar - but that's not what she got. The interior didn't match the exterior at all, even the whole shape of the Cathedral having changed. There was a long corridor straight ahead of her, and the entire building - that she could see - was covered with a black carpet and pristene white walls.

There was a long desk to her right, a woman with silky ginger hair stood behind it. She looked up at the sound of people walking into the building, and her eyes narrowed as she caught a glimpse of Clary. "Agent Herondale." She had a slight southern accent to her as she spoke, and a very musical tone. "Pleasure to see you. Who is your... friend?"

"Thank you, Aimee, but I don't have much time to talk." He spoke to her in a rather dismissive tone and continued forwards down the hallway, before stopping abruptly. He turned around to face the woman behind the desk again, raising his hand. "Please do not tell Director Aldertree, neither my mother, of my presence. I'd rather not see either of them right now." The woman nodded curtly and turned back to her computer, typing away at something.

Jace squeezed Clary's hand comfortingly as they continued forwards down the hallway, and Clary looked up at him with a confused look. "Why is your mother here?"

"She works here."

"I thought you said your mother works for the Government?"

"This building is part of the Government, Clary." He tensed slightly as they rounded a corner which only lead to another hallway. "It's called The Academy."

* * *

Clary was stood at the window with a file in her hands, her back to Jace. He was stood nervously with his back against the door and arms folded, focusing intently on Clary. He had taken her to his office at The Institute first, where all the information about him and his mission lay. Nobody was allowed inside without his permission, either, which meant there was a lower risk of either Maryse or the Director seeing Clary in the building. They had been there for half an hour while Clary flicked through the various sheets of information, her never uttering a word.

The redhead in question slowly turned around and lowered the folder she was holding, her face as pale as the white walls around her. Jace stepped forwards hesitantly with his arms out stretched slightly, his first thoughts being that she looked like she might collapse. She placed the folder on the desk in front of her and walked around it, her gaze focused on a point on the floor by Jace's feet. She leaned back against the front of the counter with her arms folded, and all Jace wanted to do was run over to her and pull her into his embrace.

"Was it all a lie?" Her voice was very quiet, and Jace almost completely missed what she said. He furrowed his brows and took a step towards her, though she didn't seem to acknowledge it.

"Was what a lie?"

"This!" She snapped her head up to look up at him and gestured between their two bodies. "Were you just using me to get close to me? So that you could do your job? All the compliments, and that kiss, and that date. Was it all a lie just so you could do your job?"

Jace's expression completely dropped at that, and he shook his head with his hands out in a pleading gesture. "Clary it was nothing like that, you _have_ to believe me." He focused his gaze on hers, trying to spill every ounce of emotion he felt into it. He knew he must look pitiful, but at that moment he didn't care. He only cared about her believing him, and if she didn't, he wasn't sure what that would do to him. He took another hesitant step towards her, now being within touching distance. "Clary everything I have said to you, and done for you, has been the truth. All of my feelings for you, are the truth." She looked up at him through her lashes as he continued to approach, and the fact she didn't retreat or tell him to stop made his heart leap. Maybe he wouldn't lose her. He cupped her cheek with his hand and she closed her eyes, leaning into his touch. He sighed in relief. He rubbed soothing circles on her cheekbone as he gazed down with such adoration for the feisty redhead in front of him. He wasn't sure how she captured his heart, but she had it, and he wasn't complaining.

They were silent for the better part of ten minutes, and although Jace was desperate for her to say something, he didn't push her. He knew that she would be soaking everything in, and he didn't want to do something that made her hate him. She took in a deep breath and moved away from his hand, before capturing his wrist in one of her hands. She placed it on her thighs that were at a slight angle since she was leaning against the desk, fiddling with his fingers absentmindedly.

"I believe you." She uttered the words that Jace had been longing to hear, and he felt his entire being relax into her touch as she did so. "I believe that you really care for me. I just wished you'd told me sooner."

"I know, and believe me, I wanted to tell you from the moment I set my eyes on you." She looked up at him with an understanding expression as he spoke, and he kept darting his gaze between both of her eyes. "But I'm sworn by The Academy from the moment I declare myself as an Agent to keep everything a secret. Even from those I care most about." He raised his free hand to brush a few curls that had fallen forwards behind her ear. "You and Jonathan are our clients, for want of a better word, and our job is to protect you. Keeping you in the dark is the best way to ensure your safety."

"Does Jonathan know?" She arched her eyebrows at him, and Jace nodded.

"He was attacked earlier on in the week by somebody working for Starkweather." He saw her expression change to worry and fear, and he quickly cupped her cheek to calm her down. "Don't worry, Alec was there to protect him. He got a few scuffs and bruises, but he was fine."

"The lacrosse bruises." Clary nodded with narrowed eyes, seeming to connect two and two together in her mind. "He came back from training with Alec freaked out of his mind, and he had these bruises along his jaw and chest. I _knew_ there was something he wasn't telling me!"

"Alec swore him to secrecy." Jace explained with an understanding tone, nodding slightly at her statement. "He didn't want to hide it from you, but Alec convinced him that it was the only way to keep you safe. And that's all Jonathan cares about, really. Anyone can see it. He just wants to keep you safe."

Clary nodded in understanding, and Jace smiled at her with relief evident on his face. He had half expected her to run off screaming and crying at him for lying to her and keeping such a big secret, and he mentally kicked himself for thinking that. He shouldn't of imagined the worst case scenario, not with Clary. She didn't say anything further on the matter, so he took this opportunity to place them in a more comfortable position.

He stepped back, taking both of her hands and pulling her with him, and sat down in the black leather seat facing the desk. He gently tugged Clary to sit next to him, and she did, tucking her legs up underneath her with her body faced towards him. She kept one of their intertwined hands on her lap, and rested the other on the back of the sofa. She was looking down at the hands in her lap, but Jace was looking at her.

"What happens now?" Her question surprised him, and he tilted his head curiously to the side. She looked up at him, seeing his confused expression. "You said that you could lose your position here at The Agency if anything happened between us. I don't want you to lose your job because of me."

"And I don't want to lose you because of a job." He looked at her with an incredulous look, as if not believing the words coming out of her mouth. "Clary I have never felt this way about somebody in my whole life, and I'll be damned if I let my job get in the way of this... Whatever 'this' ends up being."

He leaned his body towards her, almost curling around the position she was in. Her eyes darted down towards his mouth as he leaned in closer, though she made no movement. "If you don't want anything more to happen between us, you have to stop me." His voice was quiet and strained, and his lips were almost touching hers. "If you don't stop me, then I'll know what you want."

Jace hesitated above her lips for a moment to give her time to push him away, but the rejection never came. He closed his eyes and crashed his lips to hers, stealing her breath away as he wound his arms around her waist. He felt her hands skirt their way around to the back of the neck as he deepened the kiss, almost laughing with joy against her lips. He felt her shift underneath him as he tilted her backwards, eventually finding himself laying completely on top of her.

One of his hands released her waist and skirted underneath the jacket she was wearing, across her stomach, fiddling with the hem of her shirt. A loud knock on the door alerted them of somebody elses presence, and Clary gasped from beneath him at the startling sound. He pulled away from her reluctantly and rested his forehead against hers with a sigh, his eyes still closed. He could feel her running her fingers through his hair soothingly, and he felt like he could of fallen asleep there and then, just surrounded by her presence. Another loud knock at the door and he groaned quietly to himself, hearing a delightful giggle beneath him.

Jace opened his eyes to see Clary looking up at him with a thoughtful expression and a slight smile. "I think someone wants you." She whispered, leaning up to give him a chaste kiss. He grinned down at her before pushing himself off the chair to head to the door. He heard Clary shuffling about in the sofa behind him, and he smiled to himself as he realised how well the night had gone.

He opened up the door to his office and stepped forwards slightly to wedge himself between the door and the frame, making sure to shield the room behind him so nobody could see Clary. He was surprised to see it was Isabelle at his door, but he still flashed her a dazzling smile. "Good evening, Izzy. I thought you'd be getting some much needed beauty sleep." He teased with a cheeky wink.

Isabelle huffed at his words and tried to walk past him into his office, but he stayed firmly in the doorway. She narrowed her eyes at him. "I need to talk to you. Let me in." She tried once again and he stepped forwards further, shutting the door behind him.

"No can do, little sis." He pressed his lips into a tight line and shook his head. "I'm taking care of some business."

"Well, your little blonde headed 'business' can wait. I have information on Starkweather." Jace was too hung up on the comment about him hiding some blonde bimbo in his office to notice that she was working her way past him, throwing him forwards from the door and heading inside.

"Izzy, no-!" Jace shouted at her and tried to grab her wrist before she could go too far in, but he was too late.

Isabelle stood with the door wide open, having been cut short in her stride with a look of surprise on her face. Jace followed her gaze despite knowing what had caught her off guard, seeing Clary leaning against the window with one of the files in her hands once again. She seemed to look up at just the right moment, her thoughtful expression dropping to one of dread as she saw Isabelle. Her mouth dropped open in surprise, and she was left there looking like a fish out of water as she tried - and failed - to create words.

Izzy turned and dragged Jace into the centre of the room none too nicely and slammed the door shut, before locking it and turning on her heels to face the duo. Jace continued to look at Clary, wishing they had gotten out sooner, and Clary was looking down at the floor in shame. He turned to look at his sister, who glared between the pair of them with her hands on her hips. "Somebody explain. Now."


	18. Stay the Night

**Chapter Eighteen - Stay the Night**

 _Bit of a filler chapter - I apologise in advance if it is slightly boring to you. I'll try to get a second chapter up ASAP to make up for this shorter one._

 _Chapter Songs;_

 _Scene One; Braveheart - Neon Jungle  
Scene Two; Your Song - Ellie Goulding  
Scene Three; Carry On Wayward Son - Vivien Armour_

* * *

Isabelle had just gotten out of a meeting with Director Aldertree, having told him every detail of their mission over the past week and a half. The only action they had seen was with Jonathan, and she was forced to tell the Director that they had told Jonathan of their identities and of the mission. He seemed slightly annoyed at that, but never scolded her for it since she and the boys had only acted how was expected of them. She assured him that he had been given the necessary instructions and that Clary was still in the dark about the situation, and that they would keep it that way for as long as possible. He seemed contented with that answer, giving her a file of further information on Starkweather's movements before dismissing her.

She was just about to leave The Institute to head back to the apartment and share the information with the boys when the woman on the welcoming desk, Aimee, told her that Jace had walked in nearly fourty minutes ago with a girl. Izzy rolled her eyes at her insolent brother, her patience wearing thin when it came to him and his gal pals. She'd known him for almost as long as she could remember, having been almost 5 when her parents adopted him. Ever since he was about 15 years old, he'd been round dozens of girls. Four years, and not a single one of them had stayed for longer than a month. She and Alec had gotten used to it, but it doesn't mean that it didn't get annoying at times. She thought that, with the responsibility of such a prestigious job working with the Government, perhaps he would settle down a little with his teenage behaviour.

And yet here he was, sneaking yet another blonde bimbo into his office when he should be working. But not this time - not on her watch.

She found the door marked _Agent Jace Herondale_ , and knocked once. She folded her arms across her chest as she waited for him to answer, counting down the seconds. She couldn't hear any noise, so clearly she wasn't interrupting them having sex, and so she knocked again. He opened up a couple seconds later, and she watched as he wedged himself between the door and the door frame. She huffed, looking up at him in disbelief.

"Good evening, Izzy. I thought you'd be getting some much needed beauty sleep." He tried charming her with his cocky nature, and she rolled her eyes as she tried to barge past him. He moved his shoulder to firmly block the way, and she tilted her head to look up at him incredulously.

"I need to talk to you. Let me in." She tried once again to advance into his office and he stepped forwards. Just as he pulled the door shut behind him she caught a blur of movement over his shoulder, and she scoffed to herself, knowing that he was trying to hide his latest conquest from her.

"No can do, little sis. I'm taking care of some business." Izzy scoffed at that and shook her head. _Yeah right,_ she thought, _business my ass._

"Well, your little blonde headed 'business' can wait. I have information on Starkweather." She grabbed his left shoulder with her right hand - her dominant with his less dominant - and yanked him forwards, away from the door, with as much power as she could muster. She was fed up with little tarts weasleing their way into Jace's life, and she was going to let this particular one know her mind.

Izzy stormed her way past the office door with a huff, walking into the room. "Listen here, yo-" she was glancing about the office for the bimbo in question, but her rant was cut off short when she saw a familiar red head of hair that was the last thing she expected to see. She felt her face drop in utter shock, and she was too stunned to even register Jace calling after her and coming into the office.

Clary glanced up at the sound of Isabelle and Jace coming back into the room, and a part of Izzy thought that she looked scared. If she was in Jace's office, then she knew what this place was. Jace had broken his oath, and without good reason - at least as far as Izzy knew, he had no good reason. She turned around to drag Jace further into the room and threw the door shut with a very loud and obvious slam, locking it so nobody else could disturb the very stern conversation she was about to have with the pair in the room. She turned around with a glare, placing both her hands on her hips. "Somebody explain. Now."

Jace opened his mouth to speak first, but Clary was the one who was quickest to speak. "Please, don't blame Jace." She had pushed herself off from the window and made her way around to the front of the desk, beyond the leather sofa, now standing next to Jace with her arms folded. "He did nothing wrong. If somebody has to be in trouble, blame me."

"If you're here then that means he broke his oath to The Academy." Isabelle explained as calmly as she could, still glaring between the duo - though, she sensed she was being slightly more lenient with Clary's pleas. "He has broken one of the most sacred rules of this Agency, and you're telling me he did nothing wrong?"

"That's a stupid oath, anyway." She was being feisty now, and Jace tried to tell her to stop, but she shook him off and stepped towards Isabelle. "Why shouldn't clients know their lives are in danger? I get that you're a secret service type business, and that you have to remain a secret for safety reasons, but keeping your clients in the dark?" Isabelle arched an eyebrow at the fiery red head who was slowly approaching her, moving her arms about animatedly. "You're putting them in more danger, because they don't know that they're under attack. Them knowing means that they can watch out for themselves. If they're attacked - like my brother was, might I add," she seemed to get angry at that, before continuing her spiel, "then they'll know what's happening. They'll be able to defend themselves. So screw your stupid oath, screw your stupid rules, and screw-" Isabelle never got to find out what else she wanted to 'screw', because Jace grabbed her by the arm and yanked her back towards him, covering her mouth with his other hand.

Izzy nodded curtly to Jace and continued forwards into the room, beyond the desk to look out the window absentmindedly. "Thanks for shutting her up. I was worried I might have to do it myself." She turned around to see Clary through Jace's grip off of her, glaring at the black-haired girl. "I may be your friend, Clary, but I am an Agent first. I take my job very seriously, unlike some." Her gaze flickered to Jace momentarily, and he looked away from her with a hint of shame and guilt evident on his face. Isabelle sighed, placing the file in her hands onto the desk and leaning forwards onto her hands. She looked up at both of them to see Clary shifting backwards to place her hand in his, and Isabelle swallowed hard as she realised what she was witnessing.

"Listen," she attempted to keep her voice softer as the two looked up at her, and she sighed slightly to herself. "I can see what's going on here. I'm not blind." Clary looked like she was about to about to say something, perhaps deny it, but Isabelle raised a hand to silence her. "I'm not going to tell the Director, and I'm not going to tell the Invigilator who - in case you've forgotten, Jace - is our mother." Despite the fact that their mother was very caring and open to her children, Isabelle knew she wouldn't approve of Jace dating his client. Her job as Invigilator meant that she was in charge of all of the agents and their wellbeing, making sure that they all continued to do their job. Yes, Director Aldertree gave them their missions and they reported back to him, but that was all he did. It was as if he and Isabelle's mother were the mother and father to the agents, taking two separate aspects to make one nuclear job.

Isabelle gestured her hand to the leather seat in front of the desk as she continued to stand at the head of it, despite it being Jace's office. He didn't seem to make an effort to fight her on it, though, perhaps because he knew he was in trouble, as he sat down with Clary next to him. Izzy sat down on the large wheeled chair and pulled it as tightly as she could to the desk, opening up the file that Starkweather had given her. "Let's get to business."

* * *

Clary was sat on the edge of her seat with her elbows resting on her knees, listening intently as Jace and Isabelle spoke. The information overload had sent Clary into a daze, and she was struggling to keep up with most of it no matter how much she tried.

The guy who had attacked Jonathan earlier on in the week had been a man named _Anson Pangborn_. Clary had recognised that name as somebody who had worked for her father, and she was certain she had met him once or twice before at business dinners and events her father had held. He was presumably sent by Hodge Starkweather, her father's business partner, though there was no evidence. The man had no communication devices on his person nor any alibis or family that could be questioned about his alliance to Starkweather, leaving the lead cold.

Isabelle had gone on to say that many of The Academy's internal sources at Starkweather International had spoken of a huge deal taking place across the waters, and they were concerned it may have something to do with his involvement with Valentine's case. Apparently this was the first deal in the company's 20 year history that Hodge had taken initiative with handling, Clary's father usually being the businessman behind the whole operation. This seemed to stir something within the two agents sat in front of Clary, and she couldn't help but feel she was out of some kind of loop.

She glanced up at the clock sat above the door to the office behind her, seeing it read 11.25. They had been talking and discussing about protection plans and ideas for over an hour, and Clary couldn't help but feel tired. She turned back to where Izzy and Jace were still talking, pulling her legs up to her chest and leaning her head back against the sofa. As she closed her eyes, a part of her considered how rude it was for her to fall asleep while two friends were discussing _her_ , while the other part of her was saying that she deserved sleep after such a busy night like she'd had.

The voices around her stopped speaking after a couple minutes, and she sighed delightfully at the silence. Something nudged at her side, and she opened her eyes reluctantly to see a mop of golden hair surrounding her. She smiled up lazily to Jace, who returned the smile with a stroke to her cheek. "Hey, sleepy head. How about I take you home?" His voice was quiet and soft, and she could see herself falling asleep to it. "You've had a long day, and I can see how tired you are."

Clary nodded and began shifting herself off the sofa, only to be restrained by Jace. She looked up at him with furrowed brows, and he just hushed her despite the fact she never spoke. He hooked one hand around her back and the other underneath the back of her legs, lifting her up bridal style. She wrapped one arm around the back of his neck securely and leaned her head against his chest, letting the soft rise and fall of his chest sooth her further.

The last thing she felt was the soft plush interior of Jace's car as he laid her down in the back, followed by the soft press of his lips against his forehead, before the temptation of sleep was too much to resist, and she fell into a blissful sleep.

* * *

Clary was startled slightly by the rustling of material around her, and she whined groggily as she woke up. A soft voice hushed her, but she was too alert to ignore it. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked around the room, only to see Jace stood to the side of her with his arms slightly outstretched. She looked around to see that she was laying in her bed back home, though she couldn't remember how she had gotten there. She turned back to Jace and saw him sit down at the foot of her bed, his eyes on her. She pulled herself into a sitting position and noticed she was still in her clothes from before, save her brothers letterman jacket.

"Sorry if I woke you." Jace's voice was low and quiet as he spoke, but he wasn't whispering. "You seemed so exhausted back at The Institute, I thought that you deserved your rest." Even in the darkness that was her room, she could see his glistening blond hair and his glorious golden eyes, and she smiled at the sight. He reached forwards to cup her cheek before leaning in to press a kiss to her forehead. He pulled himself up to stand, and Clary glanced up at him with narrowed eyes. "I best be going. You need to sleep."

Jace begun to walk away, his hand on the door of her bedroom, before she managed to find her voice. "Stay." She sounded more desperate than she meant to, but at least she fulfilled her goal as she watched him stop in his stride. He froze at the door for a moment, and Clary used this as opportunity to stand up and make her way over to him. She placed her hand gently over his that was holding the door handle, and he glanced down at her with a calculating expression. "We'll just sleep. I promise." She smiled up innocently at him, and he laughed softly at her playful nature. She leaned up to skirt her fingertips across his jaw, watching her movements. "Just, please stay."

He seemed to battle with himself for a moment before nodding, and she smiled. She gave him a chaste kiss on his lips before heading out of her room, leaving him stunned. She quickly but quietly crept her way into Jonathan's room, seeing that he was sprawled fast asleep on his stomach, snoring lightly. She giggled quietly to herself as she took in his appearance, before raiding his drawers for a pair of pyjama pants and shirt. She made her way back into her own bedroom with minimal creaking floorboards, seeing Jace stood looking outside her window on the opposite side of the room.

She walked in with a smile and her hand outstretched with the clothing in it. "Jonathan's more your size than Simon, so I'm imagining this will fit you." He walked over the distance and took it in his hands, giving it a curious once over.

"You didn't have to do that for me." He laughed once at her with a genuine look of thanks. She shrugged, walking over to her own drawers to grab some sleepwear.

"I'm just gonna go change," she gestured to the door by the bookcase that lead to her ensuite, and he nodded. "I'll be back in a minute."

Sure enough, she returned a minute or so later after changing into something more comfortable. She had on a light white tank top and blue sleep shorts, her hair retied into a messy bun. She stopped in her tracks when she saw Jace stood flicking through one of her sketchbooks, the dark red pyjama pants she had given him hanging low on his hips while his top was bare. She swallowed hard as she took in his appearance, the clothing she'd seen him in before doing his body no justice. His chest and abs were perfectly sculpted, and he had a very deep and prominent V-line that lead right to-

"Sorry, I wasn't meaning to spy." Jace's voice pulled her away from her impure thoughts as she looked up at his face, and she noticed he had closed the book. "It was on your bed, and I was clearing it off for you, and I just couldn't help but peak at it." Clary smiled at him and made her way over to his side of the bed, taking the book carefully from his hands and placing it in the bottom drawer of the bedside cabinet. "You're really talented, you know. More than I expected, in all honesty."

"Expected me to be rubbish, did you?" She teased, climbing past him and into the side of the bed she usually slept in. She sighed in comfort as her body sunk into the familiar dent her body had made into the mattress, looking up at Jace who was watching her with a curious expression. She patted the space next to her, and he followed her into bed.

He seemed to hesitate as he relaxed into the bed, pulling the white comforter over the pair of them. He wrapped one of his arms around her waist and pulled her close to him, and Clary smiled into his chest. They were laying on their sides, one of Jace's arms around her waist and the other she was using as a pillow. She placed both her hands on his chest and rested her head on top of them, feeling the heat radiating from him as she settled. He planted a firm kiss to her forehead.

"Do you think he'll come after me?" Clary contemplated aloud after a moment of silence, speaking into Jace's chest with her eyes closed. "Hodge. Should I be scared?"

"The fear keeps you on your toes, thats for sure." He seemed to deliberate. "But no, you shouldn't be scared. I won't let him, or anyone else touch you." There seemed to be a double meaning behind his last statement, Clary sensed, and she couldn't help but wonder what he was meant.

She went to ask him, before she was cut off by a large yawn. Jace's body vibrated beneath her as he chuckled, and she felt him nestle his face into her hair. "Sleep, Clary." He whispered comfortingly, and she could feel his breath jittering strands of her hair. "I'll see you in the morning."

That seemed to make her happy, as her body seemingly instinctively relaxed into him. With another yawn she let herself rest, with the knowledge that Jace was there protecting her. "Night, Jace."

"Goodnight, Clary."


	19. Victory After Victory

**Chapter Nineteen - Victory After Victory**

 _Another long chapter to make up for the potentially boring one earlier today. Hope you enjoy!_

 _Chapter Songs;_

 _Scene One; Rather Be - Clean Bandit  
_ _Scene Two; Changing - Sigma  
_ _Scene Three; Where The City Meets The Sea - The Getaway Plan  
_ _Scene Four; Bulletproof - La Roux  
_ _Scenes Five and Six; The Apartment - John Powell (The Bourne Identity OST)_

* * *

Jace rolled over in his sleep as his body slowly begun to wake, whining to himself as if that would help get him five extra minutes. A part of his half asleep mind remembered sleeping with a certain mystical redhead, and so he stretched out to the other side of the bed only to find it empty. He pushed the top half of his body up off the bed to look to his side with a dazed expression, before turning over onto his back to look around the room.

Clary wasn't in the room, he noticed, but he also saw how neat and tidy her room was. He was almost as tidy as his, dare he say it, and he had yet to meet someone who met his expectations to tidiness - with exception to hotels. He laughed quietly to himself as he sat up and began shuffling out of the bed. "No wonder I'm head over heels for this girl." He murmured to himself with a smile, heading towards the ensuite. He knocked on it twice to see if Clary was in there, but had no response, and he figured she was somewhere else in the main house. He hesitated going outside for a moment, unsure whether he wanted to risk Jonathan seeing him there after staying the night, before deciding that he could handle the Morgenstern should he decide to do anything.

His smell was instantly hit with delightful flavours as soon as he walked out of the door, and he let out an appreciative hum as he let his feet guide him towards the scent. He stopped just before the kitchen began, seeing his favourite person busying herself with several activities as she cooked breakfast. He leaned on the wall that lead to the kitchen with his arms folded, watching her with a smile. She had on some classical song in the background that was relatively quiet, probably so she didn't wake up the rest of the house. She was skipping from side to side as she made the coffee, cooked something on the stove, heated something on the microwave, though with very purposeful feet movements, Jace noticed. She was on her tiptoes dancing to the beat of the music. Back, side, side, forwards, side, side. Jace had to bite back a laugh at her classical dance moves so not to alert her of his presence.

He crept forwards into the kitchen silently, past the island, until he was right behind her. From this distance he could hear her also humming quietly the tune of the song. Jace wrapped both of his arms around her waist before she could skip away from in front of him, hearing a small gasp come from her. He nestled his face into the hair at the crook of her neck, kissing there gently before speaking quietly. "I thought you told me you couldn't dance."

She giggled at that, and Jace considered it to be his favourite sound ever, and shook her head. "I told you I _didn't_ dance, not that I _couldn't_ dance." She shifted in his grip so that she could turn and face him, looping her arms around the back of his neck while his stayed around her waist. "My father trained Jonathan and I in ballroom dancing for about six years."

"Jonathan ballroom dancing?" Jace looked at her with raised eyebrows, and laughed as he spoke. "Now, that's something I would pay to see." That earned him a smack on the chest from Clary, and he looked at her with mock shock.

"Don't give me that look. That's my brother you're making fun of." She scolded, though she still had a smile on her face. She went to the arms around her waist and pulled them away before turning back to the cooking food, making Jace frown from the lack of contact.

"And where," he slid in behind her again and placed his hands on her hips. He ducked his head down to the side, pulling her hair behind her back to place a kiss on her shoulder. "Do you," he moved his lips up to the join between her neck and shoulder, his lips skimming the skin all the while, "think you're going?" His voice remained low the entire time as he placed one final on her jaw just in front of her ear, and he could feel her reacting beneath his touch.

"I'm making you," she turned her head to his side to look at him, "breakfast." That made him smile, the thought that his girl had gotten up earlier than him just to make breakfast. Hell, the thought that she was his girl made him smile alone. He leaned in to close the short distance between them, pressing his lips softly to hers. It was a sweet kiss, and Jace could feel her smile against his lips. She turned around to face him once again so that the kiss wasn't as awkwardly positioned, shifting on her tiptoes to deepen the kiss.

Jace moaned low in the back of his throat, his grip tightening on her hips as she wrapped her arms around the back of his neck. She could feel the passion building between them, and he quickly lifted her up onto the island behind him. He positioned himself between her legs, their hips almost perfectly aligned. She gasped at the movement, breaking the kiss, but Jace just ducked his head down to her neck. She hummed quietly as she tilted her head back, Jace pressing gentle kisses all the way from her jaw to her neck. He licked the skin between her neck and shoulder before biting lightly at the sensitive spot, making Clary pull him closer with a sexy moan. Jace smirked as he pulled away, but not before placing a kiss to the mark, and admired his work.

"Jace," Clary huffed at him, slightly out of breath from their makeout session as she slapped his bare chest. He just looked at her with a victorious grin. "What if someone sees that?" Jace could see that she was trying to be angry at him, but the threat of a smile at the corner of the lips gave her away. He shook his head and kissed the corner of her mouth, murmuring against her skin.

"Then everyone will know you're mine." He kissed her again, before being slapped repeatedly on his chest by her. He pulled away and looked at her with wide eyes. "What are you doing? Stop hitting me!"

"Then let me down, or else the food is gonna burn!" She pointed out, and Jace seemed to suddenly remember the bouts of food behind him. He laughed at his momentary amnesia, before stepping out of her legs and helping her down onto the floor.

He stepped back after that, leaning against the island of the kitchen as she finished making and plating up the food. Apparently Jonathan and Simon were still in their beds, but she had still made them some breakfast. She placed their two plates on the island before skipping towards the bedrooms with two more plates, one for each of her flatmates. Jace smiled after her as he sat down at the island, before looking at the food in front of him. She'd really outdone herself, making several pancakes for each of them with chocolate syrup and a side of crispy bacon. She had made both of them coffee as well, leaving some in the pot for the others in the house when they left their room.

Clary returned a minute or so later with a smile, taking her seat opposite him. "How did you sleep?" She asked lightly as she poured the syrup over her pancakes.

"Perfectly." He smiled at her. "What about you? You seemed to be up quite early." Jace couldn't help but notice how much... lighter, she seemed, compared to occasions she'd seen her before. She looked refreshed without any bags under her eyes, and there was a sparkle in her eyes.

"I'm just a naturally early riser. It was honestly the best night's sleep I've had in maybe two weeks. Maybe because I knew that you were there, protecting me." She looked up at him with a smile, and he was thankful that she felt that way around him. He wanted to make sure she felt safe and protected in every aspect of her life, and if he made her felt that way than that meant he was doing his job right.

They continued to eat their breakfast in comfortable silence before Clary went to stand up, gathering their plates to wash up. Jace caught her wrists and tugged her back to sit down, standing up himself. "Nuh-uh, you cooked for everyone in this apartment. Let me wash up." He took the plates and kissed her forehead as he made his way to the sink, filling the tub with hot, soapy water. He heard Clary shift behind him, but made no move to see what she was doing as he focused his attention on the dishes.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Clary move to stand next to him with her arms folded, leaning back against the counter. "Are you going to the Titans' lacrosse game tonight? I know it's Alec's first game since coach accepted him on the team. Jon was telling me about it." He placed the last plate onto the drying rack before taking a tea towel from the side to dry his hands, turning to face her.

"Yeah, Izzy and I promised that we'd be there. Plus, the audience will be full of hundreds of people. That's a dangerous situation for you and Jonathan to be in without protection." He took in a deep breath as he placed the tea towel back on the side. "Where you go, we kind of have to go. Besides," he hooked his fingers into the sides of her pyjama shorts, tugging her closer. "I'll follow you wherever you'd like." She grinned up at him at that, and he leaned down almost the full way to kiss her softly.

Jace had just moved one of his hands to cup her cheek when he heard movement from somewhere in the house, but he made no attempt to see what caused it. "What the fuck, Clarissa?" An unwanted voice shouted from nearby, and Clary quickly pulled away from Jace, putting a good metre or so distance between them. Jace looked up with a scowl, only to see Jonathan stood there glaring daggers at him.

* * *

"What the fuck, Clarissa?" The familiar voice seemed to register something instantly within her, and she pushed Jace as far away as she could manage before spinning to see her brother stood at the entrance of the kitchen. He wasn't looking in her direction, but was rather glaring at Jace. "I thought I told you to stay away from my sister, _Herondale_."

"You did what now?" Clary stepped in front of Jace, towards her brother with a look of anger. "You told him to stay away from me? That's not your place to say, Jonathan. I'm an adult, and I can make decisions for myself without you ruining things for me."

"Clary, he's been lying to you." Jonathan looked at her and spoke through clenched teeth. "He's not who you think he is."

"I know everything, Jonathan." She huffed at her older brother, surprised that he would stoop so low as to try and expose Jace's identity just to keep her away from him. "He told me everything. About our father, about The Academy. I know."

That seemed to stun Jonathan as he furrowed his brows in confusion, taking a step back. He seemed to think something over for a moment before returning his gaze to Jace, though it seemed nicer than before. "Hurt her, and you're dead."

"As much as I'd like to tell you that you'd end up flat on your ass in a fight against me, I know that wont give me any brownie points in the brother department." Jace said matter-of-factly, and Clary shifted to elbow him harshly in the stomach. He groaned out in pain and rubbed where she'd hit him, before turning back to her brother. "But I get the warning. I'd never do anything to hurt Clary - I will protect her with my life." Clary smiled up at him at that, and he returned the look with his own one of affection.

Clary heard Jonathan clear his throat pointedly from behind her, and she turned to see him looking between the couple rather awkwardly. She rolled her eyes subtly to herself before bounding over to her brother, wrapping her arms around his torso and burying her face into his chest. "Thank you," she mumbled into his shirt as he wrapped his arms around her small frame. "Thank you for understanding. I love you, big brother."

"I love you too, sis." His voice was muffled by her hair as he pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head, rubbing her back comfortingly. "But you're still coming to the game tonight. Some big lacrosse scout is coming, and I want your support." She pulled away at that and smiled up at him with a comforting nod.

"You know I'll be there. Have I ever missed a game?" She pouted innocently up at him and he shook his head. "Exactly. So don't worry." She hopped up on her tiptoes to give him a kiss on his cheek before escaping from his arms, heading towards her bedroom. When she was out of sight of her brother she turned on her heels to face Jace who was still awkwardly stood in the kitchen. She looked over her brother's shoulder and beckoned Jace to follow her with a small laugh, before disappearing into her room.

* * *

Jace and Clary had spent most of the day in her bedroom, just talking about the situation they were involved in as well as Jace's position as an Agent at The Academy. Okay, perhaps there was a little making out, but that was it. Most of the time was spent with Clary asking a million questions about how in danger she and her brother were, when they thought Hodge would next strike, how long Jace and the Lightwoods had been on their mission for. He answered any and every question that she had, not wanting to keep anything hidden from her about his job and their mission.

It was about 4.40 in the afternoon when Jonathan came in to say that he and Alec were off to the field to set everything up for the evening's match. He told them to be there for 6, since the game started at 6.30, and he wanted Clary especially to have front row seats. She promised she'd be there, and that she'd probably drag Simon along as well for moral support. With her brother out of the house and Simon locked away in his bedroom studying for some test on Monday, she decided it was time for her to start getting ready.

"Have you ever even been to a lacrosse game before?" Clary called to Jace while she was looking through her wardrobe. He was sat on the bed with his legs crossed, just watching her.

"Not really. I've never had the proper college education, so I've never felt the need to go to any sport events." He said honestly, leaning forwards from where he was sat to see what she was pulling out from her closet. It was a jacket similar to the one she had worn the night before, except it was a different colour and definitely more her size.

"Do you have any kind of sporting clothes?" She asked, laying the jacket on the end of the bed as she went to the drawers next to Jace to rummage for more clothes to wear. "Most people wear some sort of jersey or accessory to show their support for the team playing."

Jace scoffed at that, and looked at her in disbelief. "I'd never even heard of _The Shadowhunters_ until meeting you and your brother last week. You really think I've got clothing with their logo over it?" Clary threw a pair of pink sparkly ankle socks right in his face at that, scowling at him. He just laughed, tossing the balled up socks to the end of the bed with the rest of her clothes.

"Fine. Don't come to me when the big bad jocks bully you for wearing normal clothing." She shrugged nonchalantly, knowing that she was only messing with him. He laughed at that as she collected her clothes and headed into her bathroom.

"Don't worry, little Vixen, I think I can handle myself." He called to her, and she popped her head out from behind the door just to stick her tongue out childishly at him before disappearing back into the ensuite.

She returned a couple minutes later dressed in a pair of dark grey skinny jeans that had some wear and tear on the thighs, along with a white tank top and the deep purple letter man jacket she had pulled out before. She made her way across the room and stood in front of the vanity with her back to Jace, and he could now see that the back of her jacket said _FRAY_ with the number 26 underneath it. He wondered why she had chosen to take Fray as her surname while her brother kept Morgenstern, but decided that was a question for another day.

Clary was messing about with her hair while looking in the mirror, a hair tie in her hand as she tried to tame her curls. Jace shuffled himself off the bed to stand behind her, capturing both her hands and lowering them down to her sides. He looked at her reflection in the mirror as he spoke. "Keep it down. It suits you." She smiled up at him, before tapping his chest with the back of her hand.

"You need to go get changed. I'm not letting you go to your brothers first lacrosse game in yesterday's clothes." She shook her head at him and moved to sit down in front of her vanity, laying out a few simple pieces of makeup for her to use.

Jace rolled his eyes at her but headed towards the door nonetheless. "Got it, Princess." He gave her a mock bow before heading out the door and to his own house.

When he returned he was dressed in all black - black skinny jeans, black t-shirt, and a black leather jacket that was left undone. He came back into Clary's room to see that she was just putting her phone and her purse into a black messenger bag, and he noticed she had left her hair down like he suggested. He smiled at that as he stepped further into the room, and she looked up at him. There was a thick and heavy necklace laying on top of her shirt that he had never seen before, and he subconsciously went and lifted it in his fingers to take a look at it.

"What's this?" He asked absentmindedly as he ran his finger over the front, seeing it had a cursive _M_ on it, as well as a beautifully decorated sun and star. It was very similar to his own Herondale ring that he wore on his right hand, except his obviously had the letter H on it, and was surrounded by the silhouettes of birds.

Clary just looked at the piece of jewelry fondly as he examined it. "It's the Morgenstern family ring. My father gave it to me the day after my mother died." She took the ring in her hands and pointed to two details with her index finger, showing it to Jace. "Morgenstern means _morning star._ "

"And yet you took Fray as your surname?" He looked at her quizzically, and she nodded as she tucked the ring-necklace back into her shirt.

"It's what my mother went by, and I guess I just wanted a way to feel more connected to her after her death." She nodded reasonably, leaning back against the foot of her bed. "But I didn't want to cast my father out of my life so simply, so I guess I wear this necklace as a sort of remembrance to him as well. Except he's not dead - just an ass." She laughed at that, and Jace shook his head fondly at the girl with a small smile.

"Alright, Miss Nostalgic," he nudged her playfully as she shouldered her bag. "Let's get to the game before your brother thinks we're fraternising."

* * *

The score was 13-12 to _The Downworlders_ , one of the teams from Pennsylvania that had come to play The Shadowhunters in an attempt to get into the college championships. Clary was on her feet with both thumbs in her mouth, chewing nervously at her nails as she watched Alec in his attacking position running with the ball in his stick, evading the opposing team's defenders. They were in the final quarter with less than two minutes to go, and if The Shadowhunters lost this game it meant that they wouldn't advance onto the next round.

Simon and Jace were sat down on either side of her, and Izzy was on the other side of Simon, though they didn't seem to be as interested in the game as she was. She knew that this was a big opportunity for Jonathan if there were scouts there, and he had to win this game to even be considered for a professional placement after college. She was more nervous for him than the actual team, in reality.

She watched intently, bouncing on the balls of her feet, as Alec faked left around one defender before flinging the ball out of his stick with as much force as he could muster, it going flying past the goalie and into the net. The crowd behind her leaped to their feet with cheers and screams, and she jumped up and down, clapping and cheering for him at his goal. "Go Alec!"

She heard Jace mutter something behind her and she figured he was talking to Izzy. "Wish she cheered my name like she cheers my brother." Clary turned around at that and smacked him lightly on the side of his head, and he just grinned cheekily at her. She felt Simon tug on her arm from the other side of her.

"Clare, sit down, you're jumping up and down like a kid on a sugar high." He scolded with a sigh, and she shook her head and turned her head back on the game.

"They've got barely a minute left and they need to get another point. I don't want them risking going to a sudden death playoff." Sudden death playoffs never seemed to go in favour of the team that had been losing for most of the match, she'd known that from watching Jon play lacrosse for four years now. It just wasn't in their lacrosse destiny to win.

Her eyes were darting across the entire field as she watched one of the midfielders for The Shadowhunters catch the ball, and she noticed that it was Sebastian. She cast her eyes over to where Jonathan was stood on the defending side of the field, and saw he was glaring daggers into Seb's back. _Just score, Sebastian_. She thought to herself, just as he threw the ball across the field towards the attacking side. One of the other attackers on their team scooped it up from the floor and began running towards the net. One of the opposing defenders checked him with his stick, and he struggled to keep possession of the ball.

Clary was bouncing even more nervously now, as she glanced up to the clock. _Ten seconds._ The attacker managed to skirt his way around the defender, but seemed to take his chances as he threw it over to Alec. He caught it seamlessly while dodging around one of the other defenders, before the third one began to advance on him. "Come on, Alec, you got this!" She heard Jace shout him along from besides her, and she saw he was stood up with his hands cupped over his mouth like a megaphone.

 _Five. Four._ The defender making his way over towards Alec attempted to body check his dominant side, but Alec was too quick. _Three. Two_. Alec slung the stick over his shoulder and launched the ball forwards, and the whole crowd jumped to their feet in anticipation. _One._ The ball hit the back of the net just before the clackson went off, and everyone erupted in cheers. Clary screamed with excitement, looking over to the scoreboard to see the final results.

 _14-13 to The Shadowhunters._

She turned to Jace who immediately lifted her high in the air and spun her around, cheering all the while. "They did it! They actually did it!" Simon was in utter disbelief besides them, hugging a squealing Isabelle as Clary was settled back onto the ground, and she embraced her best friend in a victory hug. She pulled away to look onto the field, seeing the whole Shadowhunters team had made their way over to Alec and was lifting him up onto their shoulders, cheering _Lightwood! Lightwood!_ As they made their way back to the locker room. Out of the three attackers, he had managed seven goals and two assists, making him player of the game.

Clary could tell how elated he was as they carried him out of sight, and the audience members began to disperse. Her head was floating with joy as she, Jace, Isabelle, and Simon made their way onto the field to wait to congratulate their boys, letting the rest of the crowd make their way past them and into the car park.

About ten minutes later, some of the boys came out of the locker rooms dressed in normal clothes, chanting the famous Shadowhunter celebratory cheer. Clary giggled as her brother was the next to exit, and he began scanning around presumably looking for her. He burst into a grin when he set his gaze on his little sister, and she charged straight for him with her arms spread wide. She wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders as he lifted her high off the ground, spinning her around. "You did amazing, Jonathan!" She beamed as he settled her back on the ground, though didn't retract his arms from around her. "Those scouts must be crazy if they don't offer you a professional placement." He shoved her shoulder playfully at that and rolled her eyes. Clary giggled again. "I'm serious! You knocked that Downworlder attacker flat on his ass at the beginning of the second quarter - that was impressive."

She heard Isabelle cheering behind her, and she imagined Alec had just stepped out of the locker room. She stepped away from her brother and turned to see Isabelle hugging the black-haired boy, before Jace patted him on the back in a brotherly embrace. "Nice moves out there, slick." Jace grinned at him, and Alec shook his head with a laugh. "Who knew you could move that fast."

"He's got talent on him, that's for sure." Jonathan commented, pointing towards Alec as he and Clary made their way over to the rest of the group. "I wouldn't be surprised if those scouts send coach a letter about you in the morning. Brilliant work on the field, Lightwood." Alec nodded at that and seemed genuinely thankful. "The team's heading out to Taki's for a celebration of our win. Alec's the player of honour, so we better get going."

Jonathan turned to give Clary another quick hug, before nodding to the rest of the group. Alec hugged Isabelle and Jace, nodded to Simon, before giving Clary a goodbye clap on the shoulder. He and Alec gave everyone one last joint wave before walking in the direction the rest of their team went in, jogging to catch up.

It was a little after 8, and it was already pitch black with exception to the floodlights on the pitch and the streetlamps in the car park. The four remaining parted ways, Isabelle and Simon having driven together in his van while Clary had gone with Jace in his 4x4. They each said goodbye to the other two, before heading to their separate vehicles.

* * *

Clary climbed up into Jace's jeep with a contented sigh, still riding the high from the game. She smiled over at Jace as he climbed in the drivers side, though he didn't look at her. "So? Did you enjoy your first lacrosse game?" He barely acknowledged her as he pulled his car into reverse, heading out of the car park. He simply nodded in her direction, keeping his focus on the road. Clary frowned at him, before turning to face forwards and slumping back in her seat with her arms folded.

He had been pretty quiet for most of the game as well, and now he was ignoring her. She couldn't help but wonder if she did something wrong, or if he hated the game and just didn't want to upset her. She sighed, keeping her eyes on the road as they drove in silence. They came to a cross roads where they should turn right to head to their apartment block, but instead Jace turns left. Clary furrows her brows and sat up straighter, watching the road as he took yet another left.

"Jace, what are you doing? Home is the other way." She turned to face him, and she saw he was looking frantically between the rear view mirror and the road. She went to turn around in her seat to look behind the car at what he was so intently watching, but he grabbed her shoulder to prevent her.

"Don't look, Clary. They'll know that we know they're following us." His voice was low and strained, and Clary could see the whites of his knuckles on the hand that was clenching the steering wheel. She settled him at ease by slowly moving to sit back normally, but she didn't move her gaze from his face.

"Who will know? Who's following us?" Her fear seeped through as her voice shook, but she still spoke sternly to him. She saw his adams apple bob as he swallowed hard, a pained expression flashing across his face. He seemed to pick up the speed as he rounded another corner into more of an alley.

"There's a black jeep been following since we left the pitch. I did four lefts and they were still following me." He clarified as the vehicle came to a halt, and he opened the drivers door quickly and called back to her. "Switch seats. Now." She was slightly startled at the turn of events but climbed over the middle console anyway into the drivers seat, settling behind the wheel of his overly large - at least compared to her stature - car. He appeared moments later in the passenger seat as she buckled up and adjusted the levels so she was sitting and seeing over the dashboard comfortably.

She drove forwards and out of the alley as Jace pulled his own seat as far back as it could, revealing a flap of black material. She kept glancing between the road and Jace as she drove, her brows permanently knit into a look of confusion. "Jace, what are we doing?" She asked, panicked, as she continued taking random turns. Looking in the rear view mirror she could see the car he had mentioned before. It was a black 4x4, like Jace's, though they had their headlights off as if to hide them even further. She couldn't make out how many people were in the car, but she could make out at least two - one driving, and one in the passenger seat.

Jace sat up in his seat, and Clary glanced at him to see he had removed the fabric and inside was a cache of weapons, mostly handguns though with several larger guns. Clary's mouth dropped open in shock, and she almost felt like screaming, but she knew she had to keep a level head as she refocused her attention on the road. "Jace, what the hell do we do?" She was more urgent this time, and she was clenching the steering wheel like Jace had been before.

"You're going to drive us out of town, okay?" He was loading two of the handguns with bullets as he spoke, constantly turning around as he did so to check if they were advancing. "Somewhere with no buildings or civilians, so nobody can get hurt." Clary nodded, knowing exactly where to drive. Thankfully it would only take a few minutes to get out of the town, but she was still concerned about what was about to go down.

"And what about you? What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to fight our way out of this." He said matter-of-factly, pressing a button next to the radio which rolled down the back window. He threw a couple of the guns into the back seat before climbing over himself, keeping his head ducked low so that the people in the jeep couldn't see him moving. Clary felt the brisk cold wind coming through the back, and she was relieved she was wearing a thick lettermans jacket that at least provided her some warmth. She made another turn, passing a large bus depot which was the last sign of the city before it was all straight road.

"Okay, we're out of the city." She called back to him, keeping her eyes focused on the road. She heard clicking noises behind her, and she could feel her heart beating out of her chest. _So this is what it's like to live their lives._

"If I tell you to drive a certain direction, you do as I say, got it?" His voice was firm as he yelled to her, not a trace of fear in his voice. _This is his job. He's here to protect you._ Clary nodded, unsure of whether he was looking at her or not. "Alright. You just focus on driving, and I'll focus on getting these bastards off our tails."

And with that, she heard the first gun shot, and she screamed out in surprise. She swerved the car slightly as it startled her, before steering it back steady. _Jace is relying on you. You're a team_. Several more gunshots went off, and Clary could tell that they were from Jace due to how close they sounded. Several rapid fire shots sounded from further away, and she knew that they were attacking. The ugly _pink punk pink_ sounds of the bullets hitting the car echoed after each shot, and she sneaked a glance in the rear view mirror.

One guy was hanging out the passenger side of the jeep they had seen, and their internal lights seemed to be on. Another vehicle of the same nondescript value was behind them, presumably with more men to attack in case the first car failed. Clary let out a shaky breath as she focused on driving, hearing Jace cursing behind her as he continued to protect them. _You're gonna be fine, Clary. He's got you. And you've got him. Just drive._

* * *

 _Protect Clary._

That was the only thing going through Jace's mind as he leant over the boot of his car, steadying his weapons on the flat surface and shooting for the attackers behind them. He had dual pistols in his hand with extra ammo to his side, as well as a shotgun and grenades should worse come to worse. He bit his lower lip as he concentrated, shooting straight for the guy hanging out the passenger window with the AK-47. He ducked down behind the chairs as he let off some rapid fire, and Jace attempted to keep shooting without looking at him.

He peaked over the top of the seats to see the man reloading his gun, and he called back to Clary. "Right side of the road! Now!" The car instantly slid into the right side of the road, leaving the jeep on Jace's right side with the passenger side being closer to him. He dropped one of his pistols and focused on aiming perfectly with the one, firing off three shots in a row towards the guy with the rifle. He heard a yelp of pain as he hit the man's shooting shoulder, before sending another bullet straight into the centre of his forehead. The man slumped back into the car, lifeless, and Jace breathed out a sigh of relief as he ducked back down to refill his guns.

"There's another jeep behind them!" He heard Clary shout to him as she kept throttling the car forwards, slowly picking up speed to make sure they remained in front of their attackers. Jace cursed to himself as he reached back over the back of the seat, seeing she was right. Another car was fast approaching alongside the first, and he also noticed the driver of the first had smashed the glass of the windshield and was now wielding the AK-47 from his dead comrade - or perhaps it was another one.

Jace aimed his pistols for the wheels of the first jeep's car, hitting two shots in a row and making it swerve off course. The man tried to regain control of the vehicle, but failed, as it swerved off the side of the road and rammed nose first into a tree. The front of it went up in flames, and Jace was satisfied that particular threat had been neutralised as he turned his attention to the second jeep.

They had already begun to advance on Jace and Clary, and were nearing up the side of it. Jace couldn't get a good angle from the back of the car, and so he threw his weapons back into the front and climbed over to the passenger seat. He hit the button which brought up the window at the back before pressing another to turn the passenger window down, sneaking a glance at Clary. "You okay?" He shouted over the sound of the wind and the car fighting to accelerate. Her face was full of terror and her knuckles were white from clenching the steering wheel so tightly, but she was uninjured and that was all he cared about at the moment. She nodded, and he took that as enough confirmation before looking at Clary's side mirror.

This vehicle had two extra men in the back seats, and Jace knew there were too many just to shoot them all out. He cursed himself for thinking he could take them all out cleanly, before reaching into the briefcase full of grenades. "Clary, I need you to listen to me very carefully now." He slumped right down in his seat so they couldn't see him through the open window, and he glanced at Clary. "I need you to duck down, and I need you to focus on the road. The moment I say 'move', you need to swerve as quickly as you can and put as much distance as possible between us and that vehicle. Do you understand?" She nodded and repositioned herself, one hand on the gearstick ready to act.

Jace took in a deep breath and said a silent prayer to himself. Several bullets came launching from the attacking vehicle, and he head Clary scream. He looked over instantly to make sure she was okay, and saw that she had ducked down almost completely. The bullets broke all of the glass on her window, but she seemed to be physically unscathed. _It's now or never, Jace._

He gripped the grenade tightly in his left hand, ensuring his thumb was holding the safety lever in place. He leaned across Clary but made sure that she was still okay to drive, taking a deep breath. He felt her reposition herself with a soft whimper, and a fleeting thought told him he couldn't wait to get out of this mess. His finger gripped the safety pin tightly and he pulled it out, tossing it to the floor before shouting, "move! Now!" As soon as he felt the slightest movement with the car, he leaned up and threw the grenade through Clary's broken window and into the open window of the other car, the grenade exploding almost as soon as it left Jace's grip.

He tucked himself down behind the drivers door, almost flushed flat against Clary's lap. "Duck down!" He screamed, and felt pressure on his back as she presumably followed his orders. The only sound he could hear was the sound of the explosion going on besides them, though with their own vehicle going in a different direction it began to get quieter and quieter.

Jace felt the car swerve again and he let out a yelp of surprise, and he shifted his weight to look out of the broken driver's window. There was no sign of any more jeeps advancing on them, and he noticed he barely even recognised where Clary had driven them too. He pulled back to sit in his own seat and sighed in relief, realising he and Clary had both survived. He looked over to Clary and saw that she was still focusing on driving, and there were several tear stains down her cheek.

"Hey, hey, stop the car!" His voice was still slightly loud from the adrenaline coursing through his veins, but he tried to soften it once he realised who he was talking to. Clary slowly brought the car to a halt on the hard shoulder, before dropping her hands to her side and practically melting into the seat. Jace reached over to cup her face, but she winced against his touch. He captured her chin and turned her face towards him, seeing she had a long and deep cut stretching the entire side of her left cheek. "Clary, I'm so sorry, I am so so sorry you got hurt." He grabbed her waist with his other hand and pulled them tightly together, hugging her impossibly close as he buried his face into the crook of her neck. "You're safe now. Please don't cry, you're okay - _we're_ okay. You don't have to be scared anymore."

He held her like that for several minutes as she whimpered into his shoulder, and he continued to coo her in reassurance that they were both okay. When she finally settled slightly, he pulled back, and carefully wiped away the tears at her eyes. "You were incredible, Clary. I'm so proud of you." His voice was a whisper as he leaned his forehead against hers, closing his eyes just to soak in her presence. Her fingers were clenched tightly around his leather jacket, but her breathing had steadied and she had stopped shaking. Jace ran a hand down the back of her head to soothingly stroke her hair. "We're both okay. We're both gonna go home, I'm gonna help clean you up, and we're gonna be safe. I promise." He let out a shaky breath as he made that promise, and she nodded at his words. "Want me to drive?" He offered, pulling his face away from hers. She shook her head, sitting up straighter in her seat.

"I'm okay. I can drive us home." Her voice was strained from her silent crying, but he could tell that she was trying to be happier despite their situation. He leaned over and pressed a firm kiss on her good cheek, before sitting back in his own seat on the passenger side. He closed his eyes and let himself relax as they began the lengthy journey back home to the city, the adrenaline finally leaving his system.

* * *

 _That was a journey of a half! I'm very proud of this chapter considering it's my first ever proper action-packed chapter. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it - please don't forget to review, even if you're a guest! Your support, advice, and criticism is what keeps me going with this story. Thank you!_


	20. Take the Compromise to Win

**Chapter Twenty - Take the Compromise to Win**

 _Sorry for not uploading sooner; I started writing Monday morning in hopes to upload it later in the day, and broke my ankle that evening and I've been in way too much pain to do much. But I'm here now! Hope you enjoy._

 _Chapter Songs;_

 _Scene One;_ _Dauðalogn - Sigur Ros  
Scene Two; The Argument - Aidan Hawken_ _  
Scene Three; Don't Wanna Dance - Dead Right  
Scene Four; To Become a Kingsman - Henry Jackman (Kingsman OST)_

* * *

The ride back home was rather anticlimactic, to say the least, neither Clary nor Jace uttering a word the entire way. Jace's attention was flickering between the road and Clary as the last of the adrenaline wore off and he began to feel tired, though he was still concerned for Clary. It was the first time she'd been thrown full throttle into his world - into danger - and he didn't know how she would react. Right now she was just focusing on driving, a neutral expression on her face.

Jace couldn't see to what extent she had been injured beyond the cut on her cheek, but whatever the damage she appeared not to be showing much pain. He sighed painfully with regret, wishing that he had done more to ensure her safety. Sure, she was still alive and seemed mostly okay, but that wasn't the point. It was his _job_ to protect her. And he failed.

Clary pulled up in front of their apartment block and turned off the engine, before collapsing back against her seat. Jace watched as she closed her eyes and sighed softly, and he leaned forwards to get a better look at her. He released his seat belt and turned to take her hand, caressing it in both of his. "Clary, talk to me. Please." He begged quietly, needing to know if she was okay.

He looked at her sleep-like form for a second before she opened her eyes, only moving her head to the side to look at him. She pressed her lips into a tight line before sitting up straight and placing her other hand on top of his. "I'm okay, Jace. I just-" she swallowed, shaking her head. "I just wasn't expecting all that to happen." Jace nodded at that in understanding, and she looked down at their hands as she continued to speak. "Everything just happened so suddenly. One minute we were celebrating The Shadowhunters' win, the next I'm playing getaway driver in some high-speed car chase shoot out."

"I'm sorry you had to go through that, Clary." He shook his head guiltily, ducking his head down so he couldn't see her reaction. "It's my fault you got hurt. I should of dropped you off with Alec or Isabelle and dealt with it myself."

"Are you crazy?" She questioned passionately, definitely much more enthusiastic than she had been before. "There's no way I would of left you to fight those guys alone. We're a _team,_ Jace. If you're risking your ass every single day just for me, then being the getaway driver is the least I can do for you."

"You're not an agent, Clare, that isn't your job." He looked back up at her with a determined expression, holding her hand tighter in his. "Your job is to be a normal eighteen year old girl that goes to University and hangs out with her friends and brothers. It's _my_ job to deal with all the threats and all the danger."

"Well I'm not letting you do that alone." She took her hands away from his and placed it on either side of his face, holding it tightly as she leaned forwards until their faces were just centimeters apart. " _I'm_ the one who is under attack, and I won't just sit on the sidelines while you and your siblings take all the bullets. Metaphorically and literally." She attempted a smile at that, and Jace couldn't help but return it. He couldn't be upset with her.

Clary pulled his face towards hers and placed a closed mouth yet sensitive kiss on his lips, before pulling away. She ran a hand through his hair lightly, shaking out the curls at the base of his neck. "Now let's get inside before I bleed all over your car." She laughed, unfastening her seat belt and retreating out of the car. Jace looked after her with a fond shake of his head, before climbing out his side and following her up the steps.

* * *

Clary was sat on one of the stools at the island in the middle of Jace's kitchen, her jacket discarded somewhere in his living room. She was leaning on the counter with her bad side turned towards Jace as he stood in front of her, working with a medical kit in his hands as he patched her up from her few wounds. She had sustained the wounds when their attackers began shooting through the windows, the glass on her side shattering with some of it hitting her. Isabelle had been in the living room when they had arrived, and after Jace had explained what happened she left to go file a report with Director Aldertree.

The worst of her wounds was a long and, according to Jace, deep cut across almost the whole of her left cheek bone. It was throbbing slightly as he ran over it with an alcohol pad to clean the wound up, and she flinched back. "I'm sorry," he whispered comfortingly to her, holding her hip gently to steady her as he cleaned it. She looked down at the table and bit her lip to keep her from whimpering in pain.

She also had a couple of smaller cuts on her jaw and the side of her neck, but thankfully her jacket had protected most of her left side from any injuries. They just needed to be cleaned up and left alone to heal, while the one on her cheek would need stitches.

"I'm gonna need to put in two sets of stitches since it's gone beyond the skin, okay?" He turned her head to look her in the eye by using two fingers on her chin. She nodded slowly, never having gotten stitches for anything before. He must have seen the worry in her eyes, because he followed up his words by saying; "don't worry, it wont hurt. I'll numb the area first. I promise, I won't hurt you."

And he was right - she didn't feel anything. Once he numbed her entire left cheek, she could sense that there was something essentially stabbing into her, but it didn't hurt. He did the first set of stitches deeper in the cut to close the deepest layers, before closing up the top of the cut with the second set. He was just placing one of those large square Elastoplast dressings over the top of it and medical taping it to the good skin when the front door opened from somewhere behind him.

Clary could hear more than one lot of footsteps as Jace finished up tending to her injury, smoothing over the dressing gently with his thumb as he looked into her eyes. She smiled slightly to comfort him moreso than show happiness, but that smile quickly faded as she heard her brother's panicked voice. "Where the hell is my sister?"

Jonathan appeared at the open entrance of the kitchen, his shoulders broad and tense as his eyes darted around the room before finally settling on the sitting red head. "Clary-" he breathed a sigh of relief, walking towards her with quick strides. She stood up to meet him half way, but he had already made his way to her chair and encircled her in a loving embrace before she could even take a step. She wrapped her arms around his torso and buried the good side of her face into his chest. "Are you okay? What happened? Alec told me you were hurt and we got here as soon as we could."

"I'm fine, Jon." She tried to assure him as she pulled away to look up at him, and she could see his eyes narrow on the bandage across her cheek. "It's just a small cut from a bit of glass. Two jeeps full of men tried to get Jace and I when we left your lacrosse game, and they were shooting the car and the window shattered. But I promise, I'm okay."

He flickered his eyes between both of hers for a second, before raising his head to look at Jace - whom had moved away from the siblings to give them some personal space. "You." Jonathan growled through clenched teeth, dropping his hands from Clary and heading towards Jace. "I trusted you to keep her safe." He grabbed the collar of Jace's shirt roughly, yanking him up to stand straight. Jace didn't seem to fight him, looking up at the taller boy with a pained expression. "You told me you wouldn't hurt her."

"Hey, hey!" Clary frowned at her brother, making her way around the island to where he was holding Jace. "Jonathan, put him down!" She tried to sound as stern as she could, but he blatantly ignored her and continued staring Jace down. She clenched her teeth together angrily, grabbing Jonathan's wrists in an attempt to pull him away from Jace. "I said 'put him down'! Right now, Jonathan!" She was trying not to shout despite how frustrated she was feeling, keeping it more stern than angry. She could see Jonathan's jaw clench and his cheeks twitch as she continued to try releasing his grip, before he finally dropped Jace to the floor none too gently.

"It wasn't his fault, Jonathan." Clary placed a hand on her brothers chest to push him further away from Jace, wedging her body between the two boys so he couldn't get to him. "He didn't hurt me. He was protecting me." Jonathan was still glaring over the top of her head, presumably at Jace, so she grabbed either side of his face and forced him to look at her. "Are you listening to me? Jace saved my life! If I was alone in that car, chances are I'd be dead."

"Don't say that, Clare-" he shook his head as a sad expression flickered across his face, and she could see in his eyes how much that thought hurt him.

"It's true. You can't take it out on him because I got a little bit of a cut - I owe him my life." She looked between both of his eyes for a good few moments, nobody saying anything, before wrapping her arms around the back of his neck tightly and burying her nose into crook comfortingly. She was on her tiptoes, but Jonathan wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her off the ground slightly as they just stood there hugging each other.

They stood like that for an immeasurable amount of time, silently comforting each other in the way siblings do, before Jonathan finally put her down onto her feet. He took a deep breath before stepping away from her, and looking back to Jace with a softer expression. "I'm sorry for attacking you. You were only protecting my sister."

Jace shook his head at that, looking down at his feet momentarily. "No, you were right. She got hurt under my protection, thus I am to blame." Clary turned around with furrowed brows, looking at him in disbelief. She stepped forwards to take his hand, ducking her head to get him to look at her.

"Hey, you listen to me as well." She scolded, using the same stern-mother voice she had used on Jonathan before. "You are not to blame for any of this. I would have been injured no matter whose protection I was under, whether it be yours, Isabelle's, or Alec's. I realise now that your job is exceptionally dangerous, and I'm bound to get injured. But you cannot blame yourself - I won't let you."

"That shouldn't be the case, though." He shook his head, looking down at her with a regretful look. "You shouldn't be involved this mess - you don't deserve this life."

"Well, I _am_ involved." She said with a point-and-case-closed tone of voice, stepping away from him and folding her arms across her chest. "Whether you like it or not, I'm a part of this mission, and I'm gonna be there whenever Hodge decides to attack next. You can't blame yourself every time I get hurt. Do you blame yourself when Alec gets hurt? Or Izzy?" She arched an eyebrow questioningly, though he didn't answer. He just looked to the floor, though Clary took that as answer enough. "Exactly."

It was after ten in the evening by the time everybody stopped being so tense, and Clary realised that Alec had been stood in the archway of the kitchen the entire time just watching her scold the two boys like toddlers and their mother. She smiled apologetically at him, but he just gave her a dismissive shake of his head to imply that she didn't need to apologise. She figured he knew what Jace was like in situations like these, and expected as much to happen.

Clary shifted to lean against the island in Jace's kitchen, being able to see all three of the boys from her new position. She wrapped her arms around herself protectively, glancing down at her shoes momentarily as she spoke. "You know, I'm actually pretty tired." She looked up again, mostly between Jonathan and Jace. "It's been a long evening and I think I need to sleep it all off. Feels like I've been doing that a lot lately." She laughed humourlessly at the thought, remembering that her way of dealing with Sebastian the week before had been a whole lot of sleep and repression.

Jonathan seemed to agree with her and nodded, glancing over at Alec. "Yeah, we're pretty exhausted from the game as well. Mostly just running off the last of the adrenaline and half a Taki's burger." Alec laughed through his nose at that, his gaze focused on Jace. Clary wondered why he was so concerned for him, before figuring it was just a brother looking out for a brother.

Jonathan stepped forwards, dropping his arms to his side and turning to his little sister. "I'm gonna head back to the apartment. Come back when you're finished up here." He leaned forwards to press a kiss to her forehead, before heading out towards the front door. He said goodbye to Alec with a clap on the back, ignoring Jace all together.

Alec stepped up next, tilting his head side to side to crack his neck. "Yeah, I'm gonna get to bed as well. Maybe we should all talk sometime tomorrow about what to do next with this whole Starkweather situation." He looked between Clary and Jace, and she figured that by 'we all' he meant Jonathan and Isabelle included. Clary nodded, wishing him a good night's sleep before he retreated to his bedroom.

Clary looked up at Jace with a smile smile before making the short way over to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. She rested her chin on his chest so she was looking up at him, pouting playfully in an attempt to get him to smile. She could see that he still blamed himself for the night's events, and clearly nothing she could say would change his mind, so she just had to try and at least comfort him. "My brother will be waiting for me. Do you want to walk me across the hall?" She fluttered her eyelashes obnoxiously, giggling at the thought of Jace having to walk her the measly three steps it took to get from his front door to hers.

He looked down at her with a thoughtful expression at her words, finally returning her embrace by wrapping his arms around her shoulders. "How about you stay here tonight?" He suggested nonchalantly, tilting his head to look at her curiously. "We can go to the gym in the morning for another training session, if you'd like, then come back here in the afternoon so we can all talk about our next course of action, like Alec suggested."

"Are you sure you want me to stay?" Clary wanted to make sure, not wanting to feel like a burden to him or his siblings. She knew that Alec and Isabelle were still slightly iffy on their relationship status, what with it putting Jace's job at risk, and she didn't want to give them any more reason to dislike her. Jace eased her nerves by bending down to place a soft kiss on the tip of her nose, before resting his forehead against hers.

"I'm sure I _definitely_ want you to stay." He whispered softly to her, looking into her eyes with an almost unreadable expression. Clary smiled, shifting onto her tiptoes to give him a closed-mouth kiss.

Jace went into the living room first to grab her letterman jacket and her bag, before guiding her into his bedroom. Since his apartment was basically just the mirror of hers, his bedroom would correlate to Simon's. It looked almost exactly like his had when they first moved in a few months before - generic furniture with almost no character within it. Plain light-brown wooden flooring paired with a white painted wall, with a queen sized bed sat on the far side of the room with the headboard up against the window. There was a plain white wardrobe on the left wall near the door, and a large four-drawer chest on the right side of the bed. A black wheely chair sat in front of an unoccupied desk on the other side of the bed, the only thing on it being a plain grey desk lamp.

It was impossibly neat, for a 19 year old male's room, but she wasn't complaining. She liked things being tidy. She sat down on the black chair and pulled her phone out from her jacket while Jace went to his drawers full of clothing, deciding to let Jonathan know that she'd be staying over. She turned her phone off and placed it on the desk alongside her folded jacket, not wanting to hear Jonathan's overprotective response, before spinning to face Jace.

"This is probably the smallest thing I own." He laughed apologetically as he handed her a white shirt. She could tell it would definitely be too small to fit him, but she was also sure that it would still be too big for her. "The bathroom's the door on the left, you can get changed in there." She nodded, knowing that already, before heading to do just that.

The shirt was too long for her, as expected, the short sleeves almost reaching to her elbow and the hem reaching half way down her thighs. There were a couple of hair bands on the bathroom sink, presumably from Isabelle, and Clary decided she wouldn't miss a couple of them. She gathered the baggy shirt up at the side and used one hairband to tie it together so it was tighter, using a second one to throw her hair into a half-assed pony tail.

By the time she returned, the main light had been switched off and Jace had turned on the desk lamp. He appeared to be fluffing up the pillows on the bed, wearing only a black pair of pyjama pants. He turned around when he heard her close the door behind her, flashing her a grin. "My shirt suits you." He teased, and she made her way over to him with a smile. "I might just make this a frequent thing, just for an excuse to see you in my clothes."

"Or maybe I'll just rob some shirts when you're not looking." She retorted playfully, wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning up to kiss him sweetly. He returned it just as softly, before both of them climbed into bed.

Jace brought her closer towards him so that he was spooning her, one arm resting on the pillow above her head with the other draped comfortingly over her waist. She smiled as she felt him nuzzle into the back of her neck, before kissing there sweetly. "Goodnight, Clary."

"Goodnight, Jace."

* * *

As planned, Jace and Clary headed to the gym once they were both up and awake, grabbing some breakfast on the way from Taki's. Clary had managed to sneak into her apartment beforehand to get some workout clothes, and Jace had also changed the dressing on her wound, before heading to the same gym as before.

Jace was working on bringing up her strength, this time round. While she wasn't naturally strong, it did help to have power and force when landing an attack on an opponent. They were stood in the centre of the room after doing twenty sets of lines as well as stretches to warm up, with Jace holding a plush black item in his hands. It was the same material as a punching bag, except much smaller. He stood shoulder width apart with the hand held punching bag vertically at an arms length to his body, Clary stood on the other side.

She was punching and kicking the black bag silently, and Jace could feel that she was trying to hit it harder each time with the force behind her attack. He kept giving her small comments about her stance as she went, her brows furrowed into a line of concentration. Jace noticed that she had developed her own 'move', if you would, that she liked to use a lot. She would put some distance between herself and the bag before stepping forwards slightly on her left foot and spinning around clockwise to kick the bag with the flat of her dominant foot. It definitely was one of her strongest attacks what with the momentum behind it, and Jace mentally noted that he would have to ask her if she had any other favourite moves she liked to use.

Jace couldn't help but wonder why she was being so quiet, usually being one to always talk no matter what she was doing. He could tell something was bothering her, and he was determined to find out what it was.

"Alright," he announced to get her to stop attacking the bag, tossing it to the side. "Why don't you do some sit ups? If you tighten and tone up your core then you've got more stability to throw behind a hit." She seemed to nod at that, walking over to where some mats were laid out, Jace close behind her. She laid down on her back and placed her hands behind her head as Jace sat at her feet to hold them firmly to the ground.

"Tell me what's on your mind." He half demanded, though tried to keep his tone soft as she started her sit ups. She looked at him with a neutral expression as she just kept working out, showing no indication that she was about to answer. "Forty-five minutes of silence has to be a Clary Fray record. I'm not gonna push you, but it would mean a lot to me if you confided in me."

Clary seemed to contemplate that for a moment as she took an extra long rest lying against the floor, before Jace heard a small sigh as she continued with her sit ups. "Honestly? I was just wondering what it would be like to be an agent. You know - like you, Izzy, and Alec." That response seemed to take Jace by surprise as he sat back slightly, looking at her with a confused expression.

"Why would you be thinking about that?" He questioned warily, gauging her reaction carefully. She pursed her lips and shrugged, leaning forwards slightly as she sat up.

"I was just thinking that, maybe after all this business with Hodge and my father is over, that I could train to be an agent." She looked at him with genuine curiosity, tilting her head to the side so her ponytail fell forwards across her shoulder. "You're an important part of my life, and it worries me to think about what happens when this mission is over and you're no longer contractually obliged to look after me."

"Clary," he said in a voice that was half full of disbelief and half full of accusation. "How on earth could you think like that? After everything I've said and everything I've done, you still think that I might abandon you after Starkweather is gone?"

"Well, no, I don't exactly think that." She admitted with a sheepish expression, looking down to where she was picking at her nails. "I just wonder about how often we'll get to see each other. You'll be on missions all the time, and I'll be at University. I just thought that maybe if I became an agent, then we'd be together. Besides - I like the idea of protecting people, the way you do." She smiled softly up at him with that, and he could tell she was only attempting to soften him up.

Jace sighed slightly at the situation, knowing that Clary was always stubborn when she set her mind to a certain thing. He decided the best thing to do was to be diplomatic, not completely allowing her but neither upright rejecting the idea. Admittedly a part of him did like the idea of her being an agent - she was already the most important person in his life, and being agents together _would_ allow for them to spend more time together. They could even put in a request for them to be partners, which would mean he could protect her no matter what jobs they were allocated to.

But the other part of him knew the danger and the risks proposed with such a job title, and he wasn't sure he was okay with willingly letting her throw herself into such a lifestyle. She could handle herself, especially with the training she would get if she applied to be an agent, but he still wasn't okay with the chance of her being injured or even worse.

Jace just nodded, rubbing her calf comfortingly as he looked into her eyes. "Maybe we can discuss it later today with Alec and Izzy. If that's what you really want to do, then we can consider it." That seemed to appease her enough, because a part of her lit up more than she had been for the first part of the training session. She leaned forwards to give him a soft kiss, before leaning back to continue with her final reps of sit ups.

* * *

It was 2pm by the time Jace and Clary had finished up at the gym, stopped to grab lunch, and returned back to their apartment block. They had both texted Jonathan, Izzy, and Alec, to agree to meet up at Jace's apartment at 3 to further discuss their situation. What with both the Morgenstern siblings having been attacked, and Starkweather closing in on a hugely suspicious deal, the agents had agreed that they would need a more specific plan of action to continue their mission that would ensure everybody's safety.

Clary left for her own apartment to shower and changed into a black and white striped shirt with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, and white jeans. She slipped on some pink ballet flats, seeing it was 2.40, before heading out of her room.

"Jon?" She called for her brother, placing her phone into her back pocket after texting Jace to say she was just about to head across. The white-haired boy in question appeared from out of his bedroom just then, wearing a white shirt and olive green pants. He was attempting to put on a denim jacket over the top, but was seeming to have some trouble with the size of it. Clary shook her head and giggled at him, making him look up at her with a narrowed expression.

She walked over to him and grabbed the jacket from his hands, turning it around to point to the label at the back inside. It said 'Woman's Size 4 Petite', indicating it wasn't his and was, in fact, hers. A small blush of embarrassment crept onto his cheeks at that, and he held up a finger before heading back into his bedroom. He came out fifteen seconds later, donning a jacket that was definitely much bigger and clearly actually his. Clary laughed at him again, placing her jacket on the back of the sofa in the living room before heading to the front door with her brother.

The three Lightwood-Herondale siblings were already in their apartment, as assumed, when Clary knocked on the door. Izzy was the one who answered, giving Jon a polite smile and Clary a light hug before inviting them both in.

It was a little after 3 now, and the five of them were sat awkwardly around the table in the living room. Jonathan and Alec were sat on the three-seater sofa on one long edge of the table, Izzy sitting on the single seater to the left, with Jace on the floor on the opposite long side with Clary in his lap. They were all sat in rather awkward silence, just waiting for someone to say something. Thankfully, Isabelle was the first to say something.

"Okay, listen. I know this is an odd situation for you two to be in," she addressed to Jonathan and Clary. "But this isn't my first rodeo when it comes to protecting somebody, nor is it Alec or Jace's. We know the protocol for a protection detail, but given how high up in the business world your attacker is, that presents a little bit of problem." She bit on the inside of her cheek as she leaned forwards, resting her elbows across her knees.

"Starkweather won't stop until he has what he wants, and right now that is you two to stop breathing." She was rather blunt in her words, though honestly Clary preferred that rather than her beating around the bush to protect her or whatever. "Sending six men after Clary last night was evident that he's stepping up his attacks, and we need to be ready to act on that. Jonathan, since Alec was assigned as your protector, I want him to be with you at _all_ times. Same goes for you, Clary, with Jace." She seemed to have a more wary expression as she looked between the couple, more pointedly Jace's hands wrapped protectively around her waist and subconsciously fiddling with the hem of her shirt.

"I want to put a tracking device on everybody's cars, as well into Clary and Jonathan's phones. That way, should anything happen to either of you, we all have a way of finding you no matter what." Isabelle must have sensed Clary's worry at the the sentence 'should anything happen to either of you', since she quickly followed it up with "But preferably it should never come to that."

"I was also wondering if either of you had contacted your father as of late." She was once again talking directly to Jonathan and Clary, both of which simultaneously looked over at each other and shook their heads. "Perhaps he could shed some insight on the situation, what with him working with Starkweather for most hours of the days. Maybe he's caught onto something suspicious."

"So, what are you suggesting?" Jonathan looked to Isabelle with curious eyes, and Clary knew that neither of them wanted to talk to their father any time soon - he hadn't exactly been the nicest father to either of them.

"I'm suggesting that one, or both, of you make contact with him. Find out what he knows, and if he knows a lot, get him on our side. It would be useful to have him as an ally against Hodge."

"No way!" Jonathan announced firmly, standing up and shaking his hand in a definitive 'no' gesture. "There is no way I will talk to that man. He's been out of my life for over a year now, and I plan to keep it that way for the rest of my life. Father or not, in danger or not, I do not want to talk to him." Clary scooted forwards on Jace's lap to reach across the table and catch his hand, looking up at him in a soothing way that both comforted him as well as told him to calm down. She knew how far his hatred for their father went, especially after all he had gone through in his early teenage years. But of course, the rest of them didn't know that.

"What about you, Clary?" Alec asked, having donned a similar stance to his sister with his arms over his knees as he sat on the edge of his seat. "Is there any chance you'd be willing to contact him? See what he knows?"

Clary was hesitant to agree to help them in that sense, and she looked back at Jace questioningly in an attempt to get his opinion on the situation. He knew her opinion of Valentine, and how he had treated _her_ specifically, and she wondered if he could have an unbiased opinion on the matter. Unfortunately he stayed silent, wanting her to make the decision for herself.

She sighed softly to herself, looking down at her hands for a moment as she weighed the pros and cons of agreeing. _Pro,_ they could potentially save his life, and at the end of the day he was still their father. He didn't deserve to die. _Con,_ he was an asshole who deserved to remain alone for the rest of his life. _Pro,_ if he did know anything then he would make a useful ally to the mission, as Isabelle had said. _Con,_ he was still an asshole who deserved to remain alone for the rest of his life.

"Okay." Clary said definitively, swallowing hard as she looked between all of the faces in the room. "I'll do it. I'll - I'll talk to my dad."

* * *

 _Please review? They really do help keep me writing. Love you all!_


	21. When Two Worlds Collide

**Chapter Twenty One - When Two Worlds Collide**

 _Chapter Songs;_

 _Scene One; Changes - Stars  
Scene Two; Find A Way - Tyler Blackburn  
Scene Three; Running Up That Hill - Placebo_

* * *

It had been almost a week since Clary had made the decision to contact her father, though she had yet to make the actual phone call. Isabelle had been insistent that 'it was imperative she do it _immediately,_ for the sake of the mission'. Alec didn't have much of an opinion on the situation, seeming to oppose the idea altogether, while Jace was much more patient and lenient with her. He knew that she didn't particularly want to talk to her father, especially not after the two years mistreatment she'd been through, but he also knew that Isabelle was right in how beneficial Valentine's input could be.

It was late Saturday afternoon, perhaps near to five, and the agent found himself in a spinny chair in Clary's room with some folders in his hands and lap. Clary was somewhere on her bed finishing up some homework while he scanned the files for information, looking for some sort of opening for the team to take Starkweather down. As expected, nothing so far had arisen, and he was quickly losing his patience.

It was October 8th, and since Jace and the others had started the mission on September 21st, that meant they'd been protecting Jonathan and Clary for 17 days with not much to show for it. Yes, they had protected both their clients from an assassination attack each, but neither of them had given them any information. The two guys Jace shot and killed during his and Clary's car chase had no criminal records and couldn't be identified as any persons of significance, just two low-level businessman, and the other three he had blown up with the grenade were proving to be a bit more difficult to ID since there was barely anything left of them.

Typically protection details lasted up to four weeks, and they were already fast approaching the three week mark with no extra information to show for themselves. Somebody would have to start making some executive decisions, and Jace figured it would have to be Izzy since she was the one leading their team. Hodge had to be taken down before any three of the Morgensterns were put into any further danger, and they couldn't exactly do that by just sitting around doing nothing all day.

Jace huffed loudly in disappointment as he dropped the piece of paper he was holding back into his lap, leaning on the arm rests of the chair and placing the side of his head in one of his hands. He closed his eyes and rubbed his temple to try and relieve some of his frustration, but not succeeding.

"Are you alright?" He heard a small, concerned voice from across the room pipe up in his direction. He opened his eyes to see Clary had placed her artwork to the side of her bed and had shifted so she was sat on front edge of it, leaning forwards towards him. She must have heard his frustration and decided to check what was up, and Jace silently cursed himself for distracting her from her work.

"I'm fine, Clary." He tried to assure her with a small smile. "Just wish there was something more that I could do to put a stop to Starkweather." He watched her as she seemed to think about something, which he could tell by the way she bit her lip and concentrated on something at the floor. She seemed to make a mental decision and pushed herself off the bed, heading in his direction.

Clary took the pieces of paper from his lap and moved them neatly so they were stacked behind him on her desk, before taking up the previously occupied space on his lap. He smiled gratefully as he wound his arms around her waist, enjoying the feel of her resting her head on his chest and nuzzling her nose into the crook of his neck. She could smell her strawberry shampoo from this distant, as well as the subtle scent of cinnamon that just always seemed to surround her. He pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head before tightening his grip around her.

"What's got you thinking?" He pondered quietly, speaking only to her despite being in an empty room. Despite only having dated for a week, Jace and Clary had found themselves in a suitable rhythm when it came between being a couple. They seemed to naturally know each other like the back of their hands, always knowing when something was wrong or they were overthinking things. He enjoyed that - the fact that someone could read him so well without him having to say anything.

They had also tried to balance out their lives and activities around each other, so that neither felt obliged to do something they didn't enjoy or either of them was unhappy with too much separation or too much closeness. They decided every Saturday morning and Wednesday afternoon would be the time slot where they both went to the gym, Jace teaching her more methods to fight and protect herself. She still seemed determined to enroll as an agent at The Academy, and he knew he was in no position to deny her that want. The least he could do was train her so far that she wouldn't be a complete newbie when she did decide to begin professional lessons after the mission was over.

Sunday was the day they had all agreed to meet at Jace's apartment to further discuss plans of actions, meaning tomorrow would be their first _official_ meeting as a team, since Jace nor Clary really counted the one before. Monday was always Jace's working day in which he would spend the entirety of it at The Academy, filing reports and doing more research. Tuesdays and Thursdays had no specific events, so they decided to leave that as casual time. If they wanted to do something together, they could.

"I just thought that, perhaps it was time to call my dad." Clary replied neutrally, her warm breath blowing against the base of Jace's neck. "I know Izzy really wanted me to do it sooner, but I guess I just wasn't ready yet. Maybe if I call him now, you'll get some information on Starkweather to try and take him down."

"Only do it if you're certain," he repeated from many occasions before, rubbing her back gently. "I don't want you doing something you don't want to do just for the sake of a mission. Do it when you're ready."

Clary looked up at him at that and smiled slightly, placing her left hand on his right cheek. Jace placed his right on her left somewhat hesitantly, seeing the fresh pink scar that now decorated her face. She had permanently taken the bandage off Thursday, and the last of the stitches had fallen out Friday evening. Now there was just a very pale reminder of the first injury that she had sustained - the first one Jace couldn't protect her from.

"I'm ready." She said confidently, kissing him softly. "I want to call him."

* * *

To say Clary was nervous about calling her father would be an understatement. She hadn't spoken to him, nor seen him, in over six weeks. While Jonathan hadn't seen him for over a year, the month and a half alone felt like a long time to her. They hadn't exactly left things on good terms, either, Clary essentially storming out of the house against his will.

She wasn't sure exactly how he would react to her calling him, which is why she wanted Jonathan and Jace there for support. The three of them were sat in the sibling's apartment, Jonathan sat on the centre of the sofa with Jace lulling behind him. Clary was sat on the window sill to the right of the sofa, phone in hand as she flipped it around nervously. Isabelle had also taken it upon herself to be there, being the leader of The Academy's mission meaning she needed - or perhaps just wanted - to know everything that happened in relation to it. She was currently pacing up and down behind the television, and Clary was certain she was going to wear a dented path into her floor.

Clary took a deep breath, looking towards her brother for emotional support. "Let's do this."

The only number she had for her father was his office building, and she just hoped he was on the same time shift as he was before. She dialed the number she knew by heart, before placing it on speakerphone so that the rest of the room could hear. She leaned forwards on her knee with the phone somewhat outstretched, but still close enough so she could talk into it as the line began to ring.

"Starkweather International, this is Jessica speaking, how may I help you?" An over-excited, high-pitched girl spoke through the phone after just two rings, and Clary's eyes widened, momentarily stunned.

"Um, hi. I was wondering if you could page me through to Mister Valentine Morgenstern?" She bit her lower lip as she looked up into the room while she spoke, not looking at anyone in particular.

"Of course. And who should I say is calling?"

"Cl-" Clary hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to go by 'Clarissa Morgenstern' or 'Clary Fray'. If she went by Clarissa, then a part of her felt like she would be giving into her father's wants - and that's the last thing she wanted to do. But if she went by her mother's chosen name, then perhaps her father would still see her as childish and refuse to even give her the time of day. "Clary Morgenstern." She decided after a moment, looking towards Jonathan to gauge his reaction. After all, he had still kept the Morgenstern name despite everything their father had done, so why shouldn't she? It shouldn't be a thing she should be ashamed of.

"Just wait one moment." The girl chimed with an overly-sweet tone of voice, and Clary momentarily wondered if it was because she was a Morgenstern - clearly a relative of her boss - or if that was just how annoying she was with every person on the phone.

Just three seconds of elevator-style music came through the phone before it ended, a tell-tale sign that somebody had picked her up from being on hold. "Clarissa." Her father's familiar sigh of relief came through the phone, and she instantly tensed up.

Clary could see Jace's worried look from where he stood behind Jonathan, followed by him mouthing the words 'just relax'. She nodded slightly, following his over exaggerated movements as she breathed in deeply before letting it out slowly.

What felt like twenty minutes was realistically maybe five seconds, but Clary was certain she was confident enough to talk without freaking out. "It's Clary." She said in her most diplomatic voice, slightly frustrated that he had addressed her as Clarissa despite telling the woman before that she was _Clary._

She could hear her father clear his voice for a second, before saying, "Clary.." She felt her face drop into one of shock and surprise at that, instantly looking up to an equally-surprised Jonathan. In six years, he had _never_ called her Clary. Always Clarissa. A pin of hope floating into her guts, and she hoped that this change of her name was indication enough that he was willing to cooperate with her.

"Clary, are you okay? Is there something wrong, do you need my help?" The concern was evident in his voice, and Clary felt the corners of her mouth twitch slightly at that thought. Since her mother passed, she never really knew how much her father cared.

"I'm okay, dad." She put emphasis on the word 'dad' to show him that she didn't entirely hate him, despite their last angry encounter, though mostly to butter him up and comfort him. "There's just a lot of things I need to talk to you about. Really, _really_ important things."

"I know, Clary. I know." She furrowed her brows at that as she could hear the sigh in his voice, and she looked up to see Isabelle had stopped pacing and was focusing in on her phone while biting her thumbnail. Did her father know about Starkweather's plans? Did he know that his children were in danger?

"Okay, well-" Clary was just thinking about where to start and how to form her first questions, but her father interrupted her before she could get much further.

"Not like this - not on the phone." He was very stern and definite in his voice, the kind of voice that Clary knew was his _don't even try to argue me on this_ voice. "I wan't to talk to you in person. You and your brother, preferably." The second part of his statement was definitely a bombshell, and she almost dropped the phone as she looked up at Jonathan in surprise.

"I-,uh," she was floundering like a fish out of water as she looked at her brother for some help. He seemed scarily calm as he just stared at her phone, almost as if he was trying to force it to spontaneously combust. She clearly was getting no answer from him any time soon, and looked up at Jace with such desperation. _What do I do?_ She mouthed to him, slowly becoming more aware that her father was waiting for a response on the other end of the phone.

Jace was half way through turning to look at Isabelle for advice, a snowball effect of desperate looks, when Jonathan stood up and swiftly grabbed the phone from Clary's hand before she could even react. She straightened up instantly, tense as to what he was going to do, her gaze following him as he walked to the other side of the room and took the phone off speaker before holding it to his ear.

"Valentine." His voice was neutral and steady, and Clary wondered how her father took to his first and only son calling him by his real name. He had his back to all three of the others in the room, so nobody could see his face. "Yes." It was clear he was trying to keep as much of what he was saying a secret, while still answering his father's questions. Clary rose to her feet hesitantly taking a step towards her brother, folding her arms as she watched him. "When?" The room was silent whenever Jonathan was speaking, and eerily so. "She won't be alone." Clary's eyes darted to Jace automatically at that, and she wondered if her 'protection detail' courtesy of The Academy was what he was referencing. "Yes. Okay." And with that, he hung up, finally turning around.

Everyone was looking at him with expected expressions as he wordlessly threw Clary's phone back to her from across the room, it almost hitting her in the face as she was too stunned to focus on catching it. He looked at Clary and took a step forwards, his forehead wrinkles coming through with his tension. "We're meeting with him for dinner tomorrow, and he suggested staying over night with him since Monday is a teacher training day."

" _We?"_ Clary dropped her hands to the side as she looked at him with a stunned expression, unbelieving that he would willingly go have dinner _and_ have a sleepover with the man he hated most in the world.

Jonathan nodded. "You, myself, and your guardian over there." He flashed Jace a semi-spiteful expression, and he just squinted his eyes suspiciously at the Morgenstern. "I assumed that you wouldn't be letting Clary nor myself go somewhere without some sort of protection, so I assumed you'd be most likely to go since you and Clary are now joined at the hip." So Clary's suspicions has been right with the 'not alone' comment, except that also included Jonathan in her party.

"At least that's something." Isabelle offered, stepping forwards to get the attention onto her. She looked around at the three faces in the room, shrugging semi-pointedly. "If you're all willing to meet together then hopefully he can shed some light on the situation with his fellow business partner. We want to talk to him, and he wants to talk to you. It's a win-win situation."

Clary was unsure of how she felt about Jonathan joining their father for dinner, worried that they may start butting heads. That would get them nowhere. She hugged her own arms as she headed in to the kitchen without a word, not particularly wanting to voice her concerns with everyone. She rolled her shoulders back and shook her head to try and get the tension off her from the rather short and awkward phone call with her father, reaching into the fridge for a bottle of water. Maybe she could just drown her worries away.

* * *

It was now almost one in the morning on the Sunday, and Clary was still resting wide awake buried beneath her covers. She had been laying with the quilt to her neck and the side of her head buried into her pillow since almost ten, barely moving an inch since. Her stomach had been doing nervous slips since her phone call with her father, and she knew that she was just terrified for what the next forty hours entailed for the Morgensterns.

She sighed deeply, feeling the heat of her breath warming up the silk pillow folded up in front of her mouth, before flipping onto her back to grab her phone from the bedside cabinet. She squinted as she clicked it on, swiftly turning the brightness down to the lowest setting before texting her brother.

 _Tell me you're awake?_

She rested the phone on the centre of her chest as she just stared up at the ceiling, quietly counting the seconds that passed as she waited for a reply. Usually he took maximum of two minutes to reply, so she decided that once it got beyond that point then she would attempt to sleep again. Thirty seconds later, and she felt the vibration against her body.

 _Sibling sleepover?_

Clary was positive she had never jumped out of bed quicker than she had after receiving that text, throwing her phone to the bed and running to the kitchen. Long ago, when they were both still living with their mother and father, they had established sibling sleepovers. It seemed as if when one Morgenstern couldn't sleep, the other couldn't either, some unrecognised telepathic system happening between their two minds. Whenever one couldn't sleep, they would head to the kitchen and grab some of their favourite snacks before retreating into the others bedroom for a night of movies, midnight eating, and sibling bonding.

She grabbed a family sized pack of cheetos, a packet of harbio starmix, a handful of different flavoured laffy taffy ropes, and a couple of bottles of flavoured water, before heading in the direction of Jonathan's room. She knocked twice quickly followed by two single knocks to indicate it was her, before opening up the door despite her overflowing hands.

She could see his face from the small amount of light illuminated from his laptop in front of him, and he was looking up at her with a sympathetic smile. "Hey." Clary shut the door behind her before heading towards his king-sized bed, tossing the goodies at the end of the bed before climbing in besides him onto her back. He shuffled himself down slightly so that his head was almost level with hers against the pillow, just propped up slightly. "What's got you worked up?"

She shrugged slightly, looking at the blank netflix screen that was open on his laptop. "Seeing dad again. _You_ seeing dad again." She admitted plainly, unsure whether she wanted to see his reaction at that.

Out of her peripheral she could see him nodding, presumably agreeing with her statement. "I can guess how that was a shock to you, when I agreed to see him." _A shock was an understatement,_ she thought cynically to herself. "I guess I just have questions for him myself, completely unrelated to the mission. I figured it would just be convenient enough."

Clary turned to face him, leaning up on her elbow with her cheek pressed onto her hand, looking him right in the face. "Do you think you could ever forgive him?" She asked quietly, knowing that their father was a sore subject for him especially. He seemed to stare off into space for a moment as he thought about it, before tilting his head to the side.

"To be honest? I don't know." He answered, and Clary could see he was being completely genuine. "As much as I say I hate him, at the end of the day he is still my father. Whether I like it or not, _his_ Morgenstern blood is what flows through my veins. And I'm not ashamed in that." He turned to look at her right in the eye, his own speaking all of the emotions he never liked to vocalise. "If he ever apologises, I think I could possibly forgive him. But we'll see."

That was his way of saying he didn't want to speak further on the topic, and Clary knew that was enough for him. While she had a difficult relationship with their father since their mother died a little over two years ago, Jonathan had despised him since long before her passing. And she didn't blame him.

"Okay, enough with the heavy." She sat herself up with more energy and a smile plastered onto her face, leaning to the end of the bed to grab two laffy taffy ropes - apple, his favourite, and strawberry, hers. She gave him the green one with a grin, before leaning back onto the bed with her head against his shoulder. "What type of movie are we thinking about?"

"How about some sappy Vampire chick flick?" He commented, completely serious. While Clary genuinely enjoyed the storyline to a lot of 'sappy vampire chick flicks', Jonathan just found them funny to poke fun at. But at least it was something they could both relax over.

She nodded, watching as he scanned the different genres. She pointed to one of her favourite 'sappy vampire chick flicks', and he laughed at her choice, knowing it was one they'd watched many times in their siblings sleepover. Nevertheless, he complied, turning it on before opening up his laffy taffy. Clary smiled as the opening credits came up, suddenly all her tensions being washed away.

* * *

 _Irrelevant, however has anybody ever watched Sing It On on the UK Netflix? It's my newest obsession, as well as Vampire Academy. I'm GAGGED! Anyway, hope you enjoyed, and please remember to review. They keep me going and they've been lacking recently, so pump up the love?_


	22. Dinner with the Devil?

**Chapter Twenty Two - Dinner with the Devil?**

 _Long old chapter for you today! You're in for a treat._

 _Chapter Songs;_

 _Scene One; American Girl - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers  
Scene Two; It Girl - Twirl  
Scene Three; Who Can You Trust - Ivy Levan  
Scene Four; Boulevard of Broken Dreams - Piano Tribute Players  
Scene Five; The Hunted - Snow Ghosts_

* * *

Jonathan had managed to fall into a deep sleep near the beginning of the siblings' second film - _Deadpool,_ one of his favourites - though Clary remained wide awake until the very end of the film. It was 4am, and Clary knew that she should at least let her body rest if it wouldn't fully sleep. Moving Jon's laptop to the floor and curling up with her half of the covers securely cocooning her.

For the next Angel-knows long, she rested, eyes closed and body relaxed into the bed, though her mind refused to sleep. She was aware that she was still awake, could hear her brother gently breathing besides her, the quiet crescendo of the birds slowly beginning to wake outside the window sat behind the headboard of the bed. She was aware that the hours passed, and yet she still didn't sleep, her mind too busy thinking of the nerve wracking day ahead.

Somewhere between 6 and 7, when the sun was just beginning to rise, Clary considered it to be a reasonable enough time to get up for the day, leaving behind her sleeping brother so not to disturb his slumber just since she had not slept. She left as silently as possible, before retreating into her bedroom to grab her phone from where she had left it on the bed in the early hours of the morning.

She had an email from a woman called Jessica Keeping, and she remembered 'Jessica' was the name of the woman she had first spoken to on the phone the previous day. Within the email included an address of where she was to meet her father, and she immediately recognised it as her and Jonathan's childhood home, as well as a time to meet and a dress code.

Clary discarded the email to the side for later, deciding to text Jace to let him know that she was awake. Usually he was awake at around 7, though it was currently a little before then. She figured he would get her text when he woke up, obviously, leaving her bedroom to head to the kitchen.

She was just finishing up making herself a cup of coffee when there was a knock at the front door, and so she quickly put the hot pot down on its stand before going to answer it. She assumed it would just be some online delivery Simon had ordered from Amazon or the like - he was always buying things for his nerdy hobbies like figurines and posters for his over-flowing bedroom. When she saw Jace was stood outside with a plain takeout bag in his hand, she was happily surprised.

"Jace," her voice went up an octave, the shock at his appearance evident in that. She smiled at him, gesturing for him to come inside. "What are you doing here? It's barely even 7 yet."

"I woke up pretty early." He clarified with a small shrug, turning on his heels to face her once she closed the door behind them. He wrapped his free arm around her waist and pulled her flush against him, leaning down to kiss her softly yet passionately on the lips. She grinned against his, going up onto her tiptoes to wrap her arms around his neck.

Any anxiety she had about the day ahead were immediately vanquished as she pressed her body against his, feeling completely at home in his arms. She felt his other arm wrap around her back as she ran her hands up through his hair, letting out a consented sigh against his lips as she pulled back for air. She looked up at him through hooded eyes. His own were closed with an affectionate smile on his lips, and he pressed a warm kiss to her forehead.

"I brought you some breakfast." He murmured to her, pulling away from her embrace just to take her hand in his and guide her to the kitchen. "I thought you might be nervous about seeing your father, and a nice breakfast usually puts me in a good mood in the morning." Clary smiled at his thoughtfulness as she sat down on the island at the kitchen, Jace moving to sit opposite her as he placed the bag in between.

It was from some place nearby called _Le Pain Quotidien,_ and from Clary's ten years of French lessons she knew that meant 'The Daily Bread'. Jace explained that it specialised in pastries, as evident by the sheer amount of them he had bought, but also made hot breakfasts as well as lunch and dinner. He had gotten a Sweet Baker's Basket for the two of them which included blueberry and chocolate muffins, fruit danishes, croissants and pain au chocolat. He had also gotten himself some avocado toast, and had bought Clary some Belgian waffles with fresh berries and cream. She was ecstatic to find they were still warm, exactly how she liked them. Clary made them both some coffee while Jace set them up with some plates, before they sat down together to enjoy their breakfast.

Eating alone with her boyfriend definitely did ease her nerves, and she was happy to have those couple of hours alone with him as they ate and cleaned up together before sitting down in the living room. They were sat on opposite sides of the sofa facing each other, Clary's feet in his lap as he absentmindedly massaged them while they spoke.

"You never did tell me why Jonathan resents your father so much." He commented casually, using one hand to rub soothing circles on her ankle. "What happened?"

"I wish I could tell you," she said with complete sincerity, frowning slightly at him. "But it's not my place to say. It's Jonathan's choice whether he tells you or not, and I don't want to betray his trust by telling you if he wants it kept a secret."

"That's fine," he shook his head at her with a comforting expression, stopping his movement with his hands. "I was just asking. I understand the need for privacy." Clary smiled at that, swinging her feet down on the floor to shuffle closer towards him. He opened his arms to her as she turned around, resting her back up against his chest. She sunk down closer to the sofa and rested her head against his shoulder. She let out a hum of contentment as he enclosed her in his embrace, burying his nose into her hair.

It was almost ten by the time Jonathan had risen from his slumber, and he had changed from his sleepwear to a black hoodie and sweatpants by the time he came out from his room. He glanced over Clary and Jace's embrace swiftly and without comment, though it was evident he wanted to say something. He simply smiled to his sister and nodded at Jace, before continuing on his way to get something from the kitchen.

Clary pulled away from Jace's lap and spun around to face Jonathan from over the top of the sofa, leaning her arm on the back and her chin on her arm. "Did you get an email from dad's secretary?" She asked as he grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, and he shook his head as he turned to face her. "Well, we're meeting at his house at 5. Is that alright with you?"

"That should be fine." He commented, hiking his duffel bag over his shoulder as he headed into the living room where she sat. "I've got practice with the team until 2, so we can leave here at 4.30. I'll drive." He walked up to press a kiss on the top of her head before heading to the front door, giving a goodbye wave to Jace before disappearing.

* * *

It was 3.30 in the afternoon, and Jace had spent the entire day with Clary. They hadn't left her apartment, mostly making sure that she was freaking out too much before seeing her dad. Jonathan had been home for an hour since he returned from practice, but he had retreated to his bedroom and the pair figured he would need some alone time to prepare for the evening ahead as well.

Currently Clary lay face down on her bed, hands over her face buried into the pillows with her legs stretched out straight. She had been laying like that for the past ten minutes now after spending half an hour trying to find an outfit for her father's dinner, ultimately giving up after expressing that 'everything she owned wasn't nice enough'.

Truth be told Jace didn't have a clue on what to expect from Clary's father, but he had a funny feeling that the reaction coming from her was well justified. After reading the email from her father's secretary, Jace didn't have much of a clue as to what _Casual Black Tie Attire_ meant. Surely you were either casual, or black tie. Right?

In the end he had just gone for a white button up shirt and smart black trousers and shoes, having changed back at his place while Clary had begun her search for an outfit. She seemed to of been having the same issue as he had by the time he returned, not knowing what was too 'casual' and what was too 'black tie'.

Jace moved himself from the black chair by her desk to sit on the bed next to her head, running a comforting hand through her hair. "Come on, Vixen." He tried to cheer her up, not enjoying seeing her so distressed. She was usually so full of sass and life, he hadn't expected seeing her dad again would bring this vulnerable side of her out. As much as he liked knowing she was sensitive, he didn't like seeing her fall apart. "Why don't you call Sparkles? He might be willing to help."

Clary didn't move for a couple seconds before shifting her head to the side, looking up at Jace with a somewhat hopeful expression. "That could work." Jace attempted to hide a smirk at that. "I mean, I know Izzy is your sister and all that, but she's not exactly the most compromising when it comes to fashion."

"Tell me about it!" He scoffed, happier now that she was as well. "When we were fourteen, she robbed Maryse's credit card to buy me and Alec an entire new wardrobe each. I don't think either of us wore a single thing." She laughed at that, more colour in her cheeks now as she sat up next to him. She pressed a soft kiss on his cheek before reaching to her phone on the bedside table, texting Magnus first before calling him.

Twenty minutes later, as promised, Sparkles arrived. Jace was especially surprised when he placed his hands on either of his shoulders before kissing the air on both sides of his face, greeting him as 'Clary's Boy Toy'. He tried not to be offended, knowing that he was just being, well, him, but at the same time he'd never known somebody to be so freewheeling as he was.

"Come along, biscuit." He called to Clary from her slumped position on her desk chair, heading straight to her floor-to-ceiling wardrobe that appeared to be full of full length dresses. Jace narrowed his eyes at the wardrobe and glanced to Clary, never pegging her to be the type of girl to wear ballgown dresses.

She caught his confused expression and shrugged sheepishly, wrapping her arms around herself as she walked over to where Magnus stood. "They're all from my parents." She explained half-heartedly. "They would always hold these massive gala events, and Jonathan and I would always be required to dress smartly. Most of them were from my mother, so I guess they were just too sentimental to part with when I left home." She was fingering a long black dress which appeared to be taller than she was, and Jace pondered for a moment as to whether some of them had actually _belonged_ to her mother.

"What about this one?" Magnus announced as he pulled out a black and cream number that reached the floor. Jace didn't know much when it came to expensive gowns, but he could definitely tell that this one must of cost a fortune. He could only imagine how stunning it would look on the petite red head stood to the side, looking at the dress with admiration. "You've always said it was one of your favourites. It's not too _ostentatious,_ and I know that your father would appreciate it."

Jace could tell that she was hesitant in deciding on accepting it, so he decided to give her a little bit of a nudge in the right direction. "I think it will suit you." He walked over to her side, wrapping an arm around her waist protectively. "Try it on, and if you don't want to wear it then I'm sure Magnus can help you find something else."

Eventually she nodded in agreement, taking it into the bathroom with her. Jace looked up to Magnus and nodded to thank him, getting an appreciative smile in return.

* * *

By the time it was time to leave, Clary was a complete ball of nerves. Magnus had left five minutes prior, wishing all three of them good luck on their evening, as well as telling Clary that she looked beautiful. And she did.

She had agreed to wear the first dress Magnus had picked out, annoyed that her best friend knew her as well as he did to pick out the perfect dress first chance. It was one of the first dresses her mother had ever bought her, though it was too large at the time for her to wear it. Now, it fit her perfectly, and she knew it was a nice way to honour the only woman she'd ever known in her life.

It was a sweetheart neckline that was decorated with black lace, hugging her waist and hips perfectly as the black began to become more spread out and the cream underdress appeared. It begun to fan out ever so slightly just below her bottom, the cream underdress continuing down in a straight style while the black lace fanned out around her. She had paired the dress with some plain black flats, not bothering with heels since she knew nobody would see her feet - and truth be told, she couldn't be dealing with heels when she was stressed out about seeing her father again.

She and Jace had both driven with Jonathan in his car, his 2014 Chevrolet Camaro being much more elegant than Jace's 2015 Jeep Renegade. Her brother had dressed in all black; black button up, black slacks, with a long, skinny black tie. Truth be told, both of Clary's boys looked perfectly dapper, and she was proud to say that she fit in that category just as well. They had also packed a small suitcase which sat in the trunk of the car, full of pyjamas and toiletries should they decide to stay the night.

They were just a few minutes away from Morgenstern Manor when Clary turned to Jace, both of them being sat in the back of the four-seater car. She took his hand and rested it in her lap, looking down at it nervously as she twiddled with his fingers. "Okay, listen. I know you don't really know the full extent of my father's wealth, but whatever you see tonight, I don't want it to change anything between us. Okay?" She looked up at him with a concerned yet hopeful expression. "I left this life behind when I took my mother's name, and I don't want you thinking that I'm some different person just because of where I come from. Promise me? Please?"

"Clary," he took one of her hands in both of his, looking up at her with a soft smile. "No matter what happens, you will still be Clary Fray to me. Okay? Stop worrying, everything will be perfect." She was still a little on edge, so he leaned forwards and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips not once, not twice, but three short times. He rested his forehead against hers as Jonathan turned a corner onto a more gravelly path, offering her a small smile before pulling away once again.

Clary heard the small intake of shocked breath Jace took in as the manor came into view, passing the large ornate gate that said _MORGENSTERN_ within the bars across the top. The incredibly long drive was not unfamilar to Clary, the circular fountain in the centre of it being the exact same as it always had been. At the end of the drive was her childhood home, the 38-room Elizabethan structure standing proudly surrounded by a small amount of forestry. The structure stood with a central block dominated by a tower on either end, the central spire surrounded by the rest of the house though only half the height. The building itself was easily an acre of land, and the surrounding area meant that the Morgenstern family owned at least two acres total.

The entire outside of the mansion was perfectly illuminated by several lights on each window, the sun having set not too long ago so the solar-lights being activated. At the centre of the building on either side was a flight of stairs, and in the middle of the two was an older man with grey hair dressed in a perfectly expensive four-piece suit.

Clary let out a long exhale as she felt her entire body tense, looking over to Jace. He had an unreadable expression on his face, and she feared the sight of the building alone had begun to scare him, but he quickly gave her a squeeze of her hand as Jonathan pulled the car to a halt. The older man in front of the house opened up Clary's door first and helped her out, smiling at the young redhead.

"Mademoiselle Morgenstern, it's a pleasure to see you again." He spoke in a French accent, kissing her knuckles very sophisticatedly before dropping her hand to her side.

"Enzo, please, call me Clary." She smiled fondly at the older man, the worker being a part of her father's staff since before she was even born. He was as much a part of her family as Jonathan was, in reality. "My father isn't here, so formality isn't necessary."

He nodded at that, a small smile on his face. "Clary. I know your father has been very anxious about your arrival these evening, working all of us very hard to make tonight special. Go easy on him."

Clary nodded at that, thanking the older man before rounding the car to where Jonathan and Jace were stood. Her brother was just handing over the keys to a younger man with dirty blonde hair and a similar suit to Enzo, a man she had never seen before. She assumed it was a new valet her father had hired, thinking nothing of it as the twenty-something year old climbed into Jonathan's car before carefully driving it around to the back of the house to park it.

Enzo made his way to in front of the three young adults, bowing slightly and gesturing towards the staircase on the right for them to walk up to the main house. Jonathan went first, Clary following behind. She wrapped one hand around Jace's arm and used the other to hike up her skirt to a suitable height so she wouldn't step on it. She looked up at him nervously, seeing he was looking straight ahead as he followed Jonathan. "Are you okay?" She whispered to him, rubbing her hand up and down his arm to comfort him.

Jace nodded, a genuine smile flashing across his face as he looked down at her. "I'm fine. I knew your father had a lot of money, so I guess I should have assumed he would live in a place like this." He gestured up to the luxurious structure as they entered the main hallway, the interior just as beautiful as the exterior.

Clary's father was there at the end of the red-and-black entrance lobby, dressed in a magnificent tuxedo without the tie. He smiled at the appearance of both his children, Jonathan surprisingly approaching him confidently while Clary lulled behind with her hand still looped with Jace's arm.

"Jonathan, Clarissa." His booming voice echoed off the brick structure, sounding as if it was all around them. "I'm so glad you could make it." His eyes skirted over his children before resting on Jace, who appeared to of tensed up slightly and positioned himself so he was ever so slightly in front of Clary once they were stationary. "And who might you be?"

Clary cleared her throat slightly, wrapping her second hand also around Jace's arm for extra support. "Father, this is my boyfriend Jace. He really wanted to meet you, so I thought it would be nice of him to join us tonight. I hope that's okay?" She tacked the extra part on the end, changing her voice to one much more softer and innocent in an attempt to win her father over.

Valentine seemed to give Jace a once over before a corner of his lips upturned in a satisfied smile, outstretching one hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Jace. I've never met one of Clarissa's boyfriends before."

Jace shook her father's hand politely, and Clary could see he was shaking a little tighter than usual as if to intimidate him. "Thank you, Mr Morgenstern, I've heard so many things about you from _Clary."_ He dropped his hand to the side with a challenging raise of his eyebrows towards the older man, clearly using her preferred name in an act of defiance to her father.

The older man just chuckled, looking between the three youngsters with a smile. "All good, I hope." Jace knew that wasn't the fact, so he said nothing, just nodding his head noncommittally. Valentine took a step back and outstretched his hand to the large ornate black archway behind him, allowing for them to go ahead of him. "Please, let us talk in the sitting room while we wait for dinner to be served."

The place hadn't changed within the month or so Clary had been gone, and she was certain it still hadn't changed from when Jonathan left over a year ago. The entrance lobby also had an archway on either side, the left leading to a large and extravagant 'mens parlour' that Valentine would meet with his associates whenever they had business meetings, while the right one lead to the servant's kitchens.

Clary and Jace followed Jonathan as he expertly made his way down the hallway past several doors on either side, walking through a large square lobby in the centre of the mansion before going across to the open-plan square archway where a small sitting room was located. Although this was easily twice the size of an average houses living room, it wasn't the biggest one in the house. Valentine was close behind them and motioned for them all to sit, moving towards a table by the fireplace where many bottles of expensive alcohol and glasses sat.

"Jace? Do you drink?" Clary's father asked politely, showing him a bottle of his favourite bourbon whiskey. Jace shook his head but thanked him for the offer as he sat down on one of the comfortable cream-coloured sofas. Clary sat demurely besides him, placing her hands in her lap while sitting up perfectly poised while Jonathan sat on the identical one on the other side of a small black table.

Clary's father poured himself and Jonathan a drink of whiskey, knowing Clary didn't like the drink, before taking his own seat in his usual burgundy Chesterfield armchair that sat at the head of the table. He called over a young, petite woman of Asian ethnicity before requesting her to bring in a glass of champagne for both Jace and Clary. She acted immediately, and returned less than a minute later with two glasses full of the bubbly liquid on a silver platter. They both took their drinks graciously, Clary nodding her thanks, before the woman disappeared once again.

"I'm surprised you accepted my offer, Jonathan." Valentine spoke formidably to his oldest child, taking a sip of his glass as he crossed one ankle over to rest on the other knee. "It's been, what, almost a year since you left this house?"

"Fifteen months, actually." He countered his father with a neutral expression, clasping the glass in his hands with both hands as he leaned forwards to stare down the older man. "Fifteen months tomorrow, anyhow. I left the day of my 18th, remember?"

Clary's father nodded at that, watching his son carefully as they spoke. "Yes, I remember now. I had a meeting in the morning, and by the time I returned you had already left. I see you still took your 18th birthday present, however." Clary knew the Camaro had been their father's gift to him, and Jonathan had discovered the keys the night before and took off with it on his birthday. Her father didn't seem angry, as she would have expected, more so amused. Jonathan seemed to be about to say something similar, before he added, "I don't want it back. It was a present, like I said. I'm just glad you don't resent me enough to completely cast your heritage aside. The keeping of that vehicle is evident enough of your loyalty to this family, as well as the baring of the Morgenstern name."

His eyes seemed to skirt over Clary at that comment, and she knew it was because legally she had changed her own name from Morgenstern to Fray. She didn't do it through resentment for her father, however, but rather due to the fact she never felt like she belonged as a Morgenstern. She had always been more comfortable with her mother's surname.

Whether he was going to pass a comment or not on the topic was unclear since he was cut short by a man walking in through the entrance they had come through. Clary recognised him immediately as Hodge Starkweather, her father's business partner and her potential assassin. She felt Jace tense up from beside her, no doubt recognising him from his files as well. He wore his signature tweed suit that seemed to match his greying hair perfectly, though his most distinguishable feature was clearly the thick scar on his right side, stretching from his jaw to the outer corner of his eye.

Her father instantly rose to his feet upon seeing his closest friend, a welcoming grin on his face. "Hodge, I'm surprised to see you still lingering around. I thought you were gone by now." He gave his partner a brotherly pat on the back before turning so the rest of the group could see both men.

"I was just getting gone now, however the Butler alerted me that your children had come to pay a visit." His steely grey eyes seemed to glisten as he took in Jonathan first, before Clary. His gaze seemed to linger awkwardly on her for a moment longer than she would have liked, before he stepped forwards and took her hand gingerly. Out of the corner of her eye, Clary could see Jace's hand instinctively go towards his left side where he kept his gun holstered, but relaxed slightly as Starkweather did nothing but kiss her knuckles as Enzo had done outside.

"It's been a while, Clarissa. I'm happy to see you and your father are back on speaking terms." There was quickly a wicked double-meaning behind his words as he turned back to Jonathan, simply shaking his hand. "You too, Jonathan. Always a pleasant sight to see families reunited."

"This is Clarissa's boyfriend, Jace." Her father introduced the man at her side confidently, and Hodge turned to take in the boy with scrutinising eyes. Jace had dropped his hand from his side so not to arouse suspicion, but was still staring at the older man in front of him.

A corner of Hodge's mouth twitched up into a devious smirk as he outstretched his hand. "Pleasure to meet you, son. I'm Hodge Starkweather." Jace shook his hand despite clearly not wanting to, but knowing that he must do so for custom and covert's sake.

"As much as I would like to join you for dinner, my presence is needed elsewhere." Hodge clarified as he dropped Jace's hand, buttoning up his suit jacket. He nodded formally to Clary's father, before turning to the three teenagers. "I bid you all a good evening." And with that, he was gone.

The room was silent for the next few seconds, before Enzo appeared at the entryway of the sitting room. "Forgive me for disturbing you, Sir Morgenstern, but the kitchen has told me that dinner is ready. You and your guests may make your way to the dining room."

* * *

As expected, Enzo had escorted the four of them into the smaller dining room on the ground floor that was their every day dining room. Larger than typical, as most of the house was, it was still significantly smaller than the banquet hall that could seat up to 140 guests. This one was permanently set up with a simple yet beautiful brown oak table with beige trimmings with just 14 matching chairs. It sat in the centre of the room, an ornate archway on one side of it where several servers were stationed, and on the otherside was a fireplace. Above the fireplace was a grand painting of the Morgensterns done a few years ago.

Clary's mother sat in a royal red chair in the centre with her legs folded, hands poised elegantly across her top knee. Her father, Valentine, stood behind her with one hand on the back of the chair and the other to his side. On her right side stood a fifteen-year-old-Jonathan, looking just as handsome as he did now just a little more boyish, no stubble and a rounder face. His hands were placed protectively on either side of fourteen-year-old-Clary's shoulders, and the redhead couldn't help but blush with embarrassment as she saw the long-forgotten portrait. She definitely looked like a complete child in this painting, and she wondered what Jace thought about seeing her when she looked so childish. Her wild red hair had been tied into an elegant side braid, and her hands were placed perfectly in front of her stomach clasped over each other.

"I see you're admiring the artwork on display." Clary's father caught her attention, and she turned to see he was addressing Jace who had walked to directly in front of the fireplace. Jace simply nodded, a slight smile on his lips. "It is a beautiful piece. Painted by a man called Richard Stone - I believe he is the Royal Painter for the Royal family in England. Really quite a talented man." Jace seemed to agree with that, before moving to dining table to be seated.

Valentine took the head of the table with Jonathan to his right and Clary to his left, Jace then on the other side of her. She pondered for a moment whether it was tactical sitting for Jace, since she realised in that seat she could see both her and her brother - after all, his job first and foremost _was_ to protect them.

They were seated all of thirty seconds before several waiters, both old and new, came to fill their glasses with expensive champagne. Just minutes later, more waiters arrived with silver platters hiding their first course. Clary had been used to the silver-dining package after living here for eighteen years, so she was not surprised when the four waiters simultaneously lifted the lids to their meals to reveal one of her old favourites, _D'anjou Pear Salad._

Clary couldn't help but think her father was attempting to butter her up with the first course of their no doubtedly extravagant menu, but paid no attention as her father toasted to "new beginnings." Nobody thought to argue with him, clinking their drinks and taking a sip before diving into their meal.

The appetiser had been absolutely to _die_ for, being prepared exactly how Clary liked with walnuts and a lemon Parmesan dressing. Now she knew that her father was definitely trying to get onto her good side, but she made sure not to fall for it. The conversation throughout the first course was simple chatter, checking up on how both the Morgenstern children were doing with life and University. Clary's father also seemed particularly interested in Jace, wanting to know every detail of their relationship from how they met, how long they'd been together, whether Clary had met his parents, as well as a billion other questions they hadn't foreseen.

In the end they told him the bare minimum, Clary not wanting to lie to her father but also knowing that she couldn't expose Jace's secret identity. They said he was their new next door neighbour, which was true, and they'd known each other for about three weeks, dating for one. That seemed to surprise Valentine, baffled that they had been dating for such a short length of time and yet the young boy had been eager to meet him. He didn't press for extra details, though, the fish course beginning to come through the door - poached Maine lobster with orange-glazed carrots and black trumpet mushrooms. Jonathan's favourite.

* * *

Jonathan had just come to the end of his meal main meal of rib-eye stake with double stuffed potatoes and onion rings, Clary being the last to finish, when he turned to his father to begin their questioning. "You know we're not here for an idol catch up, father." He started plainly, Clary watching him carefully as she finished off her meal. "There's something wrong back home, and we were hoping you could help us."

"If you are referencing Starkweather's plans to steal my portion of the company, I'm afraid you're too late in informing me." He rested his elbows on the table and interlinked his fingers in the air, watching his son with a calculating expression. Jonathan wasn't expecting such a response, and he needed a second to wipe the flabbergasted look from his face.

"How did you-"

"I'm far from stupid, Jonathan. I have been monitoring Starkweather's movements for months, ever since I smelled the wiff of a dodgy deal he was executing without my knowing." The waiters had come then to take their plates and return them to the kitchen, Clary's father requesting them to hold dessert back for a short time while they spoke. "Turns out he plans to take most of my money for himself, sharing the other portion of the company with a business associate over in France by the name of Camille Belcourt. She's very wealthy and supposedly very well acquainted with international affairs over here in America, having resided here for many years previously."

"Did you know he planned to have you, as well as your children, killed?" Jonathan arched a challenging eyebrow, and his father nodded with a surprisingly bored expression on his face.

"Of course I did. Why else would I let an agent in my house?" His eyes darted to a surprised Jace, laughing in disbelief at the shock on the young boys face. "Please, like I said before I am far from stupid. I knew from the moment you set foot in this building, Jonathan Herondale, that you worked for The Academy. You're not the first agent I've met."

Jace looked at him with narrowed eyes, unprepared to disclose any confidential information to him until he knew everything the older man knew. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because I wasn't entirely sure what your intentions were when you arrived here. I know that missions are usually kept confidential from their clients, and so I'm surprised that Jonathan asked me that question." He tilted his head curiously, his gaze never leaving the agents. "So tell me - why do my children know who you are? And why are you breaking The Academy's rules by dating your client?" His voice was dominating at the last part, clearly more concerned that Jace was dating his _daughter_ rather than Jace's client.

"Jonathan was attacked two weeks ago by a man named Anson Pangborn. My partner protected your son and shot the man dead. Clary and I were also attacked last week by several men, only two of which have been ID'd as some of your workers at Starkweather International." Jace clarified in his agent voice, no longer sounding like he was talking to his girlfriend's father but rather a fellow businessman. "The others have not been identified due to the way they were disposed. Both of them had questions, and under protocol we are allowed to disclose information of our mission if it benefits the client's life. My partner and I decided to take that decision in telling them both."

Valentine nodded at that, seemingly satisfied that Jace had been following protocol for the most part when it came to how his children's knowledge of the mission came about. He didn't forget that the young man had skirted his question about Clary, however, though kept that as information to grill him on at a later point in time.

"And so I suppose you came here tonight to get some insight into the situation, right?" Valentine assumed, and Jace half nodded.

"We thought you may have some knowledge on how Starkweather may be planning to attack either you or your children, meaning we could be better prepared to protect the three of you." He clarified politely.

"Well, I'm afraid that I have just about the same amount of knowledge as you." Valentine was disappointed to announce, genuinely wishing that he had something else to tell him. He didn't enjoy the knowledge that his children were at risk because of him, and he wanted to ensure their safety. "I have my own team of investigators undercover within the business in an attempt to find out more details, specifically how Starkweather is recruiting his men, but unfortunately they have given me nothing thus far."

"However I do have suspicions that he is relatively close to finalising his overseas business with Ms Belcourt, and when he does I suggest we are all alert to prepare for his actions." He watched as Jace tensed slightly at that, his eyes darting protectively to Clary who was watching her father with careful eyes. Deep down, Valentine hoped that his willingness to disclose such details about their mission would give her some motivation to forgive him, to see the father he longed to be for his children. He was willing to do anything to help them, so long as it ensured his children's safety.

"I will offer my services wherever I can, keeping you updated with Starkweather's movements when I am informed. Hopefully my insider knowledge will assist you in your mission, Agent Herondale." He nodded formally to Jace, who seemed to of relaxed slightly. "Now, let us finish this meal together."

After Clary's childhood favourite dessert of apple pie with vanilla ice cream, her father dismissed the dining room staff, before retreating his guests back towards the main entrance lobby.

"Now, as I told your brother yesterday, there is an extended invitation for you, Clary, as well as Jace and Jonathan, to stay the night here." He was walking alongside his daughter while the two boys lulled behind, a quiet conversation being heard between them. "Your room has still been untouched from the day you left, if you choose to sleep there. Otherwise there are still a dozen other bedrooms that are ready made for you to sleep in. I am aware that you have a day off from lessons tomorrow, so I know you are in no rush to get back home."

Jonathan stepped forwards at that moment, giving Clary a warning glare that suggested she should probably accept their father's invitation of staying the night. Clary looked back up to her father with a forced smile, nodding politely. "We would like to stay the night. Thank you, father."

"It is no hassle, Clarissa. Feel free to prepare yourself for bed - I will be in my office for the rest of the evening until further notice. You should remember where it is, should you need me." It was evident he was unsure what the protocol was for him to be saying goodnight to his partially estranged daughter, and so she took the first move by stepping forwards and wrapping her arms around his torso. He reciprocated the gesture almost immediately, and truth be told she was thankful. As much as she would never admit it allowed, a part of her had felt relaxed back home with her father, and deep down she had missed him.

Once they pulled away he turned to Jonathan and then Jace, shaking each of their hands before bidding them a goodnight. Clary's father told them a servant had already collected their bags from Jonathan's car and was waiting in their old rooms for them, Jace's being placed alongside Clary's.

Clary was just about to guide Jace up to her bedroom when Jonathan stopped short behind them, calling out to their father. "I was hoping we could talk alone about some separate matters irrelevant to Starkweather's case. As long as that is alright with you?" His father agreed graciously, telling him to meet him in his office when he was ready. Jonathan turned to bid both his little sister and Jace goodnight, assuring them he would see them in the morning, before they made their way up the grand staircase and disappeared without further thought.


	23. Scarred at the Hands of the Beloved

**Chapter Twenty Three - Scarred at the Hands of the Beloved**

 _Chapter Songs;_

 _Scene One; More Of You - Mozella  
Scene Two; I Was Wrong - Sleeperstar  
Scene Three; Wicked Game - Gemma Hayes_

* * *

Clary knew the layout of the back of her hand after living there for 18 years, and she found her bedroom easily as if she was still living there. Opening up the light pink double doors, she was instantly hit with the memories of years worth of life there. She took in a deep breath to hold back the tears, stepping inside with Jace close behind.

The first thing she noticed was that it was completely clean, not a trace of the mess she left behind in her hurry to leave the month before. She momentarily wondered if her father had cleaned it up before realising the more likelier option would be that one of the maids did it. There were fresh bedsheets on the king sized bed in a plain white colour, each of the pillows at the head being perfectly fluffed up. She absentmindedly traced a finger on her desk by the window, not a trace of dust left behind.

"Someone's been keeping this place clean." She murmured to herself, feeling Jace wrap his arms securely around her waist from behind. He pressed a soft kiss at the skin behind her ear.

"Maybe your dad's been hoping you'd change your mind and return." He suggested the likeliest of options quietly into her ear, keeping his voice calm and soothing to relax her from the shocking evening. She nodded, turning in his arms to wrap her own around his neck. She rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, just taking in his presence. "It's getting late," he whispered. "Let's get to bed and we can talk about tonight when we're resting."

Clary nodded, pulling away from Jace to press a soft kiss to his lips. She smiled as she felt him responding, tightening his grip around her waist. He nipped at her bottom lip pleading for entrance, which she happily gave him. She let a soft moan out against his lips as he deepened the kiss, which only seemed to spur him on further as he growled playfully against her lips.

She could feel Jace move his hands to grip tightly at her hips, slowly guiding her backwards until her knees hit the edge of the bed. She gasped as she fell back onto it, pulling him with her to lay on top of her. He ran his hands down her body, toying with the lace material at her dress with one hand and the other pulling them impossibly close together. "You looked so beautiful tonight, Clary." He mumbled against her lips, before shifting to kiss a line down from her jaw to the base of her neck. She leaned back blissfully with her eyes closed as she reveled in his touch, a small gasp escaping her lips.

Clary grabbed his jaw gently with one of his hands to bring him back to her lips, kissing him all the desire she felt inside. He rocked his hips against hers and she could feel his arousal through his pants, making her whimper before pulling away slightly. She was panting as they rested their foreheads against each other, Jace looking at her with a delicious gaze.

"Maybe we should stop," Jace swallowed hard, his voice clearly strained from their heated actions. He must have seen her face drop slightly, because he quickly added to his comment. "I want you, Clary, I do. But I want our first time to be special." He was whispering as he leaned down to press a sweet kiss to her lips, a complete contrast to what they were doing before.

She smiled at the thought that he wanted her in _that_ way, nodding before he rolled himself off from her. She let out a deep sigh of contentment as he pulled her carefully to her feet, gesturing for her to change into pyjamas while he headed over to their bags near the door of the bedroom to get his own change of clothes.

* * *

Valentine's door was closed barely five seconds before Jonathan came barreling in, not even to bother to knock. By the look on his face, he meant business, and he was determined to get to his goal. "Jonathan," Valentine grinned, heading towards his chair behind his desk. "Please, sit."

"I think I'll stand, thanks." He said snarkily, closing the door behind him and moving to stand next to his father's desk. "Clary isn't here any more, so you can drop the nice guy act. We both know you're only helping us for your own benefit, so what's in it for you?"

Valentine looked up at him quizzically, interlocking his hands with his elbows on his desk. "What makes you think it's an act, Jonathan? You and Clarissa are my children and your safety is of utmost importance to me."

"That's bullshit and you know it," Jonathan pointed an accusing finger at his father, gritting his teeth in anger. "You haven't once tried to contact me in the year that I've been gone - you didn't care that I left. You don't care about me, you never have!"

"That's a ludicrous statement, Jonathan, you're my son."

"Well it's true." He waved his hands pointedly, looking around the office that was the size of a master bedroom rather than the typical box office. "Your business comes first, right? Isn't that what you told me when you missed my first lacrosse game when I was 8 years old?"

"That was years ago, Jonathan, I think we've both grown a lot since then. Don't you?"

"I know _I_ have. But I'm not sure you have." He narrowed his eyes at his father, challenging him most definitely. "If Clary hadn't called you, would you of even confronted us? Let us know that we were in trouble?"

"Of course I would have, Jonathan. I've had a private investigator following you and Clary ever since I found out about Starkweather's plans." He clarified calmly, reaching into his desk to take out some folders, placing them on the desk to see. "I know of every time you've gone to lacrosse practice, when all of yours and Clary's lessons are, her visits to The Institute with that boyfriend of hers."

"You've been _spying_ on us?" He growled at his father, starting towards him with clenched fists. "What kind of parent does that?"

"The kind of parent that cares about his children, Jonathan!" His father shouted at the top of his voice, rising to his feet as he slammed his hands against the desk. He made his way around to be on the same side as his son, matching his intimidating height and stare down. "The kind of parent that, despite the fact both his kids have deserted him, still wants to love and protect his children."

"Love and protect his children? Yeah, right." Jonathan spat, stepping away from his father with a furious glare. He ripped off his tie from around his neck and tossed it to the ground before unbuttoning the top few buttons of his smart shirt. He pulled the shirt over the top of his head so it sat on his arms, turning around to show his father his back. "Is that the marks of a parent who loves and protects his children?"

The entire skin on his back was covered in hundreds of scars of various lengths, widths, and colours, almost completely masking his entire natural skin beneath it. They were ugly and dominating, and some of them even looked like they could start bleeding any second despite the fact they were made and scarred up many years ago. Valentine looked at them with disgust, though couldn't bring himself to look away.

"I will never forgive myself for hurting you like that, Jonathan." His voice was strained as he stared right at the whip scars he left on his son all those years ago, vividly remembering how every single one of them came to be - at his hands. He heard Jonathan scoffed as he turned around and put back on his shirt, though left the top buttons undone.

"Yeah, right, _father."_ He snarled. "You told me that I deserved those scars, and that it was my fault. You told me that to be a man, I had to know real pain, and as my 'father' you should be the one to show me that pain."

"I was wrong, Jonathan." He shouted, tears threatening to spill at the brim of his eyes as he looked directly at his son for the first time since he made his first mistake of hurting his first born. "I was wrong, and I am so sorry."

Jonathan froze up as he heard his father apologise for the first time ever, taken back by the turn the conversation had taken. His eyes were darting all over his father's face as he searched for any sign of lying, any sort of indication that he was just trying to play him to get him on side for whatever game he was playing. But he didn't find anything.

"You're serious, aren't you?" Jonathan was much more collected when he next spoke, narrowing his eyes as he carefully watched his father.

"I am, Jonathan." He sounded exasperated as he took a step towards his son, wanting nothing more than to apologise for his actions. "I am so sorry. I know you deserve a much better explanation for everything that happened all those years ago, but tonight has been a journey of emotions as it is. I promise you, I will answer any and every question you have in the morning."

* * *

Clary had plenty of clothes left behind from when she left the month previous, and so she had dressed in a pink silk singlet and matching boy shorts after hanging her dress up in a dress bag on the back of her ensuite. When she had returned, Jace was wearing a pair of light blue sleep trousers that seemed to have sparrows flying across all of them, his top being bare. He smiled as he saw her come in, opening his arms wide to take her into his embrace. "Let's get to bed."

Now they lay in Clary's bed in the dark, the main light as well as the bedside lamps being turned off as they just relaxed after their busy and emotional day. Jace lay on his back with one hand tucked under his head as he stared at the dark ceiling, the other arm wrapped securely around Clary's waist from where she was lying with her head on his chest and her hand over his heart.

"Do you believe him?" Jace mused aloud, rubbing soothing circles on Clary's stomach as he spoke. "Your father. Do you believe that he'll work with us that easily?"

"He's changed." Clary said as if that was obvious, her own eyes closed as she relaxed in Jace's coconutty scent. "He's not the same man I knew a month ago, that's for sure. I'm not inclined to believe him completely, but I do think there's some truths in what he's saying."

Jace pondered that for a moment, silently agreeing with her words. He hadn't known the man before he met Clary, however from their conversations he could tell that the Valentine Morgenstern they had dinner with was a different one to the one she had once known as her father. Whether it was just an act, he didn't know.

"I'm surprised he knew who you were, though." Clary broke through his thoughts, and he could feel her absentmindedly tracing random shapes on his chest where her hand lay. "I thought you were supposed to be part of some super secret agent?" She teased.

"I am," he clarified with a chuckle, equally as surprised at her father knowing of his identity. "He's high up in the business world, though I don't see how that would get him insight to The Academy. I assume he must know somebody working there, or at least used to know. Perhaps we should ask him." He suggested, and Clary nodded.

She snuggled herself closer to him, if that was even possible, resting her head so that her chin was on his shoulder and her nose was in his neck. She placed a gentle kiss there with a smile on her lips. "I'm happy we did this tonight, though. I'm happy seeing this place didn't change the way you thought of me."

"I would never let anything so trivial like that come between us." He promised, tightening his hold around her waist. "You're the most important thing in my life now. I don't care if you came from money, or if you had a movie-perfect upbringing. All I care about is your happiness now, and the safety of your future."

They were silent for a moment, and Jace thought that Clary may have fallen asleep due to her steady breathing, but was quickly proven wrong when she spoke again. "What happens now? We have my father on side, and hopefully he means what he said. What do we do next?"

"Well, Isabelle will report back to the Director everything we've learned tonight, and hopefully he will help us form a plan of attack against Starkweather." He suggested thoughtfully, thinking of what their best form of attack would actually be. "I have a feeling that he will decide to take some executive decisions since we're no closer to exposing Starkweather and his plans. Perhaps intercepting his deal with his French connections, though that could anger him and possibly force him to take action against you, Jonathan, and your father sooner than planned."

"Should we be worried?" She asked, pulling away far enough so that she could look him in the eye. "I mean, I don't doubt your skills, nor Alec's or Isabelles. But I can't help the nervous pit I feel in my stomach."

Jace pulled her back to her position before but used his other arm to also wrap around her, pulling her close and placing a comforting kiss on the top of her head. "You know that I will protect you with my life, no matter what happens. Whatever we decide to do, we'll be prepared."

Clary nodded, settling into his arms once again and closing her eyes as she was overcome by a yawn. "I trust you." She murmured sleepily as she slowly began to succumb to sleep. "I trust you with my life, and my heart."

* * *

 _A really short chapter compared to usual which makes me depressed. I just haven't had many ideas of how to continue from this chapter without making it boring. I know where things need to go, and have several chapters pre-planned, but I'm having no inspiration on what to do within these next couple chapters. Any and all advice would be welcomed, I'd love for your insight and help in making the events for the next few chapters! Thank you all for your continuous support, lots of love._

 _ALSO - I've started up a new fanfiction for Vampire Academy, if you're interested in those series of books. It's called Ethereal Darkness, and I'd love for you to check it out. Have a nice week!_


	24. Two Lives, One Lie

**Chapter Twenty Four - Two Lives, One Lie**

 _A **LOT** of speaking and storyline in this one, so I'm sorry if it's a little overbearing of it's not as writtenly descriptive as usual. This is how I wanted to present this chapter, and so that is what I'm going for. Again, I'm apologise if you don't like this style, but I promise it will not become a regular occurrence._

 _Chapter Songs;_

 _Scene One; Boys Don't Cry - Natalia Kills  
Scene Two; Let Her Go - Passenger  
Scene Three; Zombie - The Cranberries_

* * *

Clary stirred quietly early in the morning, feeling Jace's comforting arms pulling her closer to his body. She rolled over and buried her face into the crook of his neck, eyes still close, sighing softly. "Good morning, baby." He whispered into her ear, kissing her hair just above. She smiled at the nickname, placing a soft kiss on his neck.

"Good morning."

"How did you sleep?" He asked casually, his hand casually stroking her curled locks the entire stretch down her back. It was a soothing action for Clary, and she even contemplated falling back asleep that it was that pleasant, but she didn't.

"Okay, I guess." She answered truthfully, tracing small circles on his chest with her index finger. "I kept waking up in the middle of the night. I guess my body just felt weird sleeping back in my old room."

She felt him nodding. "I felt you stir a couple times. You seemed to fall back asleep when I held you like this." Clary couldn't remember anything specifically about what happened, but she could remember feeling serene after each time she awoke. Jace enveloped her completely in both of his arms, but she pulled back slightly just enough to be able to look at him. She smiled, leaning up to kiss him sweetly.

What started as a nice, good morning peck, slowly developed into something more heated as he bit her lower lip sensually, growling playfully against her lips as he rolled over to hover above her. Clary ran her hands up his bare chest wantingly, continuing her journey to slide her fingers through his hair and grip at the nape of his neck. Jace squeezed her hip instinctively at the tug of his hair, making her tilt her head back with a moan. He used that as opportunity to kiss down her neck, resting at the join between her shoulder and biting there harshly. Clary gasped again at the sensation, arching her body towards his.

Jace had just pressed a kiss on his specially made mark when there was a sharp knock at the bedroom door, startling both of them. Jace instantly retracted away from Clary despite his want to do otherwise, positioning himself into a suitable sitting position under the covers besides Clary's still lying form. She dropped her head back to the pillows with a sigh at the interruption. "Who is it?"

"Jonathan," her brother called through, and Clary called him in. He took one step into the room and must have seen Jace in his shirtless state, since he quickly stopped in his stride. "I can totally come back later if this is a bad time."

"No, you're fine." Clary waved dismissively, deftly climbing out of the bed and heading to the bedroom door to shut it behind him. He went across to sit at the desk chair while she slowly made her way back to her bed, Jace naturally opening his arms for her to sit in his embrace. She welcomed his presence nicely, sitting in between his legs with his arms wrapped loosely around their waist.

Everyone was quiet for a moment, nobody knowing exactly who should speak first or even what to say. Surprisingly Jonathan was the one to break the silence. "So, last night was a bit... strange."

"You can say that again." Clary agreed, exasperated, still flustered from the night's events. Jace placed a soothing kiss at the spot behind her ear, tracing small circles from where his hand sat at her hip. "What did you want to speak to Dad about last night?"

Jonathan straightened up slightly at that and wiggled uncomfortably in his seat, clearly not entirely willing to open up about it yet. "Just stuff from the past." He said vaguely, though Clary immediately knew what they had spoken about.

"Perhaps we should go see if he's around." Jace suggested helpfully. "See if he can help expand us on any information about Starkweather or anything."

* * *

It was 9am by the time Clary and Jace had made their way downstairs, Jonathan leaving earlier to allow them both to get changed. Jace had only brought the one spare set of clothing with him and so was now dressed in a navy blue sweater with dark grey skinny jeans. Clary had decided to go for comfort more than style, having more options due to the clothes she had previously left behind. She put on a pair of black compression pants and a baggy, baby blue shirt with an adorable cartoon elephant on the breast pocket.

She made her way into the living room bare foot, reveling in the feel of the soft plush carpet between her toes. Jace was trailing behind, their hands intertwined and casually swinging in the air. Nobody was there and Clary wondered where her brother had disappeared to, before deciding to try the family dining room.

Sure enough, there Jonathan was, sat at the table with their father at the head once again. There were plates of food already laid out on the table for everyone, as well as a glass of orange juice each and tea or coffee. None of the usual servants were placed around the room, suggesting they were to have a conversation that nobody was to overhear.

"You're looking well, Clarissa." Her father chimed with a genuine smile, gesturing for the two seats to his left for her and Jace. They took them graciously, Jace opting to take the one nearest her father. She silently pondered why, deciding to make a mental note of it to ask him later. "I trust that you all had a pleasant sleep. Please, eat. I'm sure you'll have plenty of questions for me and I'm sure you'll be needing a lot of food for a busy day."

During the actual breakfast, nobody made any advances on making a push towards the conversation of Starkweather or anything of the like, talking more casual stuff like University and Business. Once everyone was finished, they relocated to the sitting room for a more comfortable discussion.

Despite being plenty of chairs available, Clary took a seat on the floor by the half-warmed fireplace, having always been more comfortable on the floor than on a chair. She leaned her back against Jace's legs from where he was sat on one of the three-seater sofas, Jonathan placed at the end and her father pacing the room rather menacingly with his hands positioned behind his back.

"Well?" He said expectantly, stopping in front of the three of them though not looking in their direction. "What questions would you like me to answer?"

All three of them opened their mouth to speak, but Clary was the first to get anything out. "How did you know Jace was an agent?" It wasn't a question anyone expected her to ask first, though it was a thought that plagued everybody's mind. The Agency was a top secret organisation, and the fact that her father knew about it meant that either they had a mole in the system or he knew something he wasn't willing to tell anybody.

Her father let out a deep sigh, closing his eyes for a moment. He moved to sit in the centre of the sofa opposite the three of them, clasping his hands together and looking intently at them and never his kids. "I once knew somebody in The Agency. They had a friend, and their friend was your mother, Jace." He looked up at Jace, who frowned in confusion.

"Who did you know?" Jonathan shifted to the edge of his seat, sitting in a similar stance to his father. "Who was in the agency?"

"Your mother." He said in an emotionless tone, his steely gaze focused on a spot on the sofa so he didn't have to look anybody in the eye.

Everybody froze, especially Clary, her breath hitching in her throat. That was impossible - that couldn't be! Her mother was her best friend and they told each other everything. How would it be possible to hide such a massive thing from your children such as being a secret agent?

"Our mother was a painter." She argued sternly, glancing up at him through her brows. "She wasn't an Agent. She would have told us."

"She wasn't _allowed_ to, Clary." He shook his head, looking down at his daughter with desperation. "I only knew because I was her client."

Everybody was silent again, before Jonathan spoke. "Tell us everything. From the very beginning."

* * *

"When I was 18 years old, I was still living with my parents. We were a very rich family, and I grew up in a small city in Spain called Idris. It was, and still is, a place full of socialites and rich families and those who owned billion dollar companies. It was a very confusing time back then, when the lines of black and white weren't so clear as things are now. What seem wrong now, back then, could be argued as good. And as upper class people, that's what a lot of us thought."

"My father, your grandfather, was a very peculiar man. He earned his money through illegal loan sharking, and gambling and betting. It was a shady deal, and my mother always tried to convince him to give it up, but he just never could."

"One day he got involved with a particularly vicious crime family called the Garcia's. They wanted thousands of dollars worth of weaponry - guns, grenades, spy equipment, communications device. My father never asked questions about why they wanted these things, only doing the deals. They gave him the money to buy the gear, and he ran with it. Didn't tell me or my mother where he was going, or even that he was going.

"A day passed and he still never returned home from a business meeting. Your grandmother called the police, and they repeated it as a missing person's case. A week went by, and there was still no news. It was almost a month later by the time we heard anything, and what we did hear wasn't what we were expecting."

"He had been found dead at the bottom of the lake in his car, presumably put there by somebody since his cause of death hadn't been drowning or anything of the like. The coroner's report said that he had been poisoned with cyanide, and that his only possessions in the car were business reports of his shady dealings. Nothing about the Garcia's, though, so they couldn't trace his death back to them."

"That's where your mother comes in." He glanced between Jonathan and Clary, seeing that they were hanging on her every word. "I had just gotten into business school and was on my way to becoming an entrepreneur when this spritely redheaded girl appeared in the neighbourhood. She seemed to of moved here with her older sister, though they didn't appear anything alike. She was utterly enchanting, though, and I found captivated by her presence."

"We started to get close, and over the next couple months she helped me get over the death of my father and soon after the death of my mother. At 18 I was old enough to live on my own, and so that's what I was forced to do, being utterly alone. With exception to Jocelyn."

"When she started realising she was falling for me, she told me about who she was. She was an Agent for the Spanish Government, sent with her older colleague to protect me from the Garcia's. She said they were hunting me down in an attempt to repay the debt my father owed them, and that if they couldn't get the money from me then they could possibly kill me."

"That's how she convinced me to flee the country, with her. The pair of us, and her colleague, left Spain in hopes that the Garcia's would lose track of us, and that's when we came here to New York. I was still your mother's client, and so her Institute in Spain had transferred her over to the protection of the one here in New York - the same one that you are a part of, Jace." She nodded towards him, and Clary reached up to take one his hands that had been resting on her shoulders to stroke it soothingly.

"Who was her colleague?" Jace asked hesitantly, his voice strained.

"Her name was Maryse Trueblood."

"My mother?" He stood up in surprise at that information, jogging Clary forwards slightly from where she was resting against his legs. She quickly turned around and lifted herself to stand up, wrapping her arms around her boyfriend in an attempt to calm him down. She knew he wasn't angry, just confused, and so he would settle soon enough.

He was still looking at her father with a confused expression as he sat back down at his seat, pulling Clary with him this time for her to sit on his lap. Whether her father had an issue with this or not, he didn't make it known, and Clary let herself relax into Jace's body as he wrapped his arms around her waist. She looked up to her father and nodded apologetically for him to carry on.

"The Institute were helpful enough to welcome them both into their home, and they were also able to help me get on my feet as well. I went to New York University to study business again, and it was there that I began to flourish in my business."

"Your mother and I were still close, and by now we had been more or less falling in love for almost a year. Although I wasn't officially her client anymore, she still went out of her way to protect me, no matter what. The day she turned 18, I proposed to her." He had a small smile of affection on his face as he relived the memories, staring off into the distance as he spoke. "We were married six months later. It was a small affair, since neither of us really knew any people here, but it was perfect for us."

"She became part time at her job as an Agent after that, deciding to go after an Art degree that was her passion. A few years later she fell pregnant with you, Jonathan, and soon after came along Clarissa. Around the same time you were born, Clary, her friend Maryse had adopted a young boy. She already had a daughter and a son, but she was willing to take on a child that wasn't even her own." Everybody in the room knew, then, that that adopted young boy had been Jace. Clary already knew that Jace had been adopted at an extremely young age, so this wasn't news to him.

"Jocelyn still stayed working with The Academy even after you were both born, and after she had gotten her Art degree, saying that it was too important for her to give up just yet. She opened up her own arts supplies shop, but still took on small clients on the side, so long as she was partnered with Maryse. Whenever they would both be away, both you and Maryse's children were exceptionally close."

"Does that mean Jace and I knew each other as kids?" Clary sat up straighter, Jace loosening his grip on her as she shifted. Her father nodded, and her eyes widened in disbelief as she looked down at Jace. "Wow. I never even remembered."

"Don't feel too bad," Jace nudged her chin comfortingly with her nose, speaking quietly affectionate. "I never even recognised the name's Clarissa and Jonathan Morgenstern when I was assigned to your case, so I can't remember meeting you before either."

That seemed to comfort her a little better and she nodded, resting her head on his shoulder and looking back to her father.

"As you started to grow up, you begun to notice things. Small things, like how your mother and I would always have hushed conversations when we thought you weren't listening, or how sometimes she returned from 'business' with cuts and bruises. I told her that you deserved to know what she was up to, but she refused. She said that, telling you of her occupation would just put you both in danger."

"So she quit. You were just two and three year's old, so I wouldn't expect you to remember anything about it, but she even distanced herself from Maryse and her children. Maryse had dedicated her life towards The Academy, and your mother thought that being her friend, even just by association, was enough to put you in danger."

"So, for the next fourteen years, you both grew up in a relatively normal environment. No mentions of our lives before you both came along, no mentions of Spain or how we fell for each other. I told you both that your grandfather died in the war, but that wasn't the case. Telling you how he truly died would just of meant having to explain everything, and we didn't want that."

"Just before your 16th, Clary, things began to go sour." He said with a dark frown. "Turns out some people from the Garcia family managed to find out about The Institute in Spain after a couple of their guys were killed by their Agents, and they managed to find the file on my protection detail. They found out Jocelyn had been the one to help me escape from the country, and they begun to track her down."

"The New York Institute alerted her of their presence in the city, despite the fact she had withdrawn all contact with them. They were only doing what they thought was right, though, and in the end it managed to save both my life and your two's lives."

"Your mother was going to leave the city for your protection, shortly after your 16th. That's why she was in the car in the middle of the night, when she should have been here with us. They found her trying to escape, and they killed her, before making it look like an accident."

"She didn't die in a car crash?" Clary's voice was barely above a whisper through fear of it breaking, should she speak any louder, and the tears threatened to spill at the brims of her eyes. She watched as her father shook his head disappointedly, and she felt like everything she had ever been told was a lie.

She swallowed hard, pulling away from Jace and getting to her feet. "I'm sorry, I just... I need a moment." She shook her head and wrapped her arms around her stomach before running out of the room, leaving the three men behind in stunned silence.

Jonathan looked to Jace and nodded for him to go after her, which he quickly did with a short apology towards Clary's father. He just shook his head and urged for him to go after his daughter, wanting to know that she was okay.

Valentine let out a deep sigh as he looked up to Jonathan, who was still looking at where his sister had fled the room. "I never knew you went through all that, Dad." Jonathan commented quietly, turning to look at his father. Valentine noted how, for the first time since his arrival, he had said 'dad' with a more casual, even affectionate tone, rather than the bitter and resentful way he had said it before.

Valentine shook his head, looking back down to his clasped hands. "Nobody did, Jonathan. Nobody did."


	25. Declaration's Scare Me

**Chapter Twenty Five - Declaration's Scare Me**

 _Much shorter chapter than what I usually give you, and I apologise for that, however I felt like the content of this chapter deserved it's own spotlight. I promise you'll love it._

 _Chapter Song;_

 _Can't Help Falling In Love - Ingrid Michaelson_

* * *

Jace jogged out of the room and into the lobby after Clary, only to find it completely empty. He looked around at the room and saw several open doors, though he had no idea which one she had headed out of. Luck, however, was on his side, as the footman he had learned was called Enzo had just appeared through one of the open doors with a note in his hand.

"Excuse me!" Jace caught his attention before he had the chance to walk up the stairs, jogging over to where he was looking up expectantly. "Sorry to bother you - I don't suppose you saw which way Clary went?"

"She went through to the back garden." He said with a formal nod, pointing to the open door of which he just came from. "Continue in a straight line and you should find your way easily enough."

"Thank you." He nodded, earning a smile from Enzo in return before the worker continued on his travels up the stairs. Jace watched him go for a moment, before darting down in the direction he had been told.

The place was a maze and, although he had been right and it was just a straight line, Jace still passed through two different rooms and saw doors leading to at least another five on his journey. The amount of money the Morgensterns had was almost incomprehensible to someone whom had never had more than five hundred bucks in his bank account. He forced that thought out of his head, though, remembering that the money and the wealth was _Valentine's -_ not Clary's. She never wanted anything to do with it after her father's actions.

Jace opened up the large double doors at the end of his journey, breathing in deeply as the freshness of the air hit him in the face. The doors lead out onto a bricked patio with rectangular ponds decorating the sides, bunches of flowers decorating one side of each. Beyond that in the centre was a larger pond that was also decorated with the same bright pink flowers, two fields of grass on either side of it. There was a concrete walkway after that which slanted downwards, leading to a luxurious looking fountain. Just a small speck in the distance, Jace could clearly see the mop of bright red hair resting near the water's edge.

He slowly made his way over to the small figure, seeing she was sat on the edge of the marble circle surrounding the fountain. One of her hands was skirting gently along the top of the water while her other was wrapped around her torso. From the angle Jace was at, he couldn't see her face, but he could tell from the slight hunch that she was upset.

He silently walked past her to sit opposite her on the marble decoration, looking up at his girl. Her eyes were focusing on the small ripples she was making in the water, though they were red and puffy. Jace opened his mouth to say something, but Clary beat him to it.

"I used to always come to this exact spot, whenever I was sad or feeling lonely." She sounded nostalgic, a soft smile appearing on her face. "The only other people who would ever tend this place was Enzo and the groundskeepers. Jonathan always thought it was an eyesore, and mother and father were never here too long to care."

"You don't have to feel like that ever again." Jace said firmly, reaching out to take the hand that was wrapped around her stomach. He cupped it in both of his, looking up at her with such sincerity. "You never have to feel lonely, because I will always be here with you."

She laughed almost in disbelief, looking down at her lap before shifting her gaze to look up at Jace. "You realise that statement has more literal meaning than you'd of thought right?" He narrowed at her eyes at her, confused. "If my dad's telling the truth, then that means we knew each other when we were almost babies. 18 years ago we met, and 18 years later we had the fortune of meeting again."

"Maybe it was fate." He suggested half-heartedly, though a part of him was being completely serious. "We were separated all those years ago, but we were meant to be together. Maybe that's why I was assigned you as my client."

"Fate?" She looked at him with disbelief, shaking her head. She retracted her hand from his grip and stood up with an exasperated sigh, turning around to face the house with her arms wrapped around her torso. "I don't believe in fate. I believe in that people are hateful and paranoid and impulsive, and all those feelings get mushed together into one to force them to do things they can't control."

Jace stood up and captured her arm lightly so not to hurt her, but strong enough to force her to turn and look at him. "You're wrong, Clary. Fate is real. It's like this strange, supernatural entity that forces our hands into the most unlikely of chances. So many specific things had to happen for us to meet - you think they were all coincidence? Your mother meeting your father, mine passing away and giving me up for adoption, your mother knowing the woman who was soon to adopt me. All of that happened for a reason, and that reason was to bring us together."

She scrunched her face up into a contorted expression that made her features sharp and ugly, the complete opposite to her soft and beautiful self, which Jace hated to see. A lone tear escaped and rolled down her cheek, and he wiped it away with his thumb. Letting his hand linger on her cheek, he coaxed her to look up at him.

"People don't cross our paths by accident, Clary." He whispered quietly to her, cupping her face in his hands and looking deeply into her eyes. "They're meant to cross our paths for a reason. Meeting you was fate, changing from a heartless asshole to your friend was a choice... But falling in love with you was beyond my control."

She gasped sharply, her face dropping into a look of surprise. She opened and closed her mouth several times as she tried to form words, looking like a fish out of water, yet not much came out.

"What- what are you saying, Jace?" She choked out, swallowing hard as another tear stroll down her cheek. He clenched his teeth together stubbornly as he fought with himself to say the words he so desperately wanted to say. He shook his head firmly as he took in a deep breath, placing his forehead against hers.

"I love you, Clary." He finally got out, his voice even quieter than a whisper. Clary had to strain to even hear what he said. "You are the first and only girl I have ever allowed myself to love. I've always been so scared to let myself love, after seeing how it has destroyed so many people. I was so afraid of love that I would rather pass up the chance of happiness than to get hurt like those I'd seen before."

Clary's tears had stopped now, and she was looking up at him with an almost unreadable expression. Thoughtfulness? Adoration? Confusion?

"But I let myself fall in love with you, and the moment I realised that was the moment that all fear disappeared. Love favours the fearless, Clary, and I love you so much."

For a moment they were both silent as Jace bore his entire soul into hers through the wordless communication within his eyes. He pulled back slightly so that he could see her reaction more clearly, a moment of fear flickering through him as the silence grew longer. He was about to urge her to say something when finally he got a reaction.

It was slow, but she shifted onto her tiptoes so that she could run her hands up his chest and lock them around his neck. She swallowed hard, glancing down at his shirt before finally up into his eyes. "You know, when I first met you I thought you was a self-absorbed, heartless prick." They both laughed at that, Clary's tears threatening to return again. "I thought you were just some perfect play boy with the only desire to fuck me around and mess with my heart.

"But then you grew on me. You saved me so many times, when you didn't even have to. In those few moments I saw the true Jace, and I let myself warm to you. At a time when I was at war with my father, had just lost my mother, and had no sense of direction in life... At that time you were there."

She pressed her lips into a tight line, though a small smile of affection still showed through. "They say you fall in love with the most unexpected person at the most unexpected time, and I think that's exactly what happened with you, Jace."

His eyes lit up at the words, and he found himself almost standing up straighter with delight. He was sure the joy on his face was giving him away, because she laughed as she looked at him, tears falling again - though, this time, they were happy tears. "I need you, Jace. Because you make me laugh more than anyone else, and I'm the best possible me I can be when I'm with you. And because when you're gone, nothing feels right until you return. You make me question my actions and you've put me in the scariest scenarios I ever thought I would have to face. I love you, Jace. I love you."

They stared at each other for an immeasurable amount of time as they reveled in the sounds of their declarations of love, before the separation became just too much. Jace gripped her face tightly before ducking his head down so his lips could meet hers, and they shared the best kiss of both of their lives. Their bodies wound perfectly together, as if they'd always been so in tune, and it felt like nothing could ever match the feeling they both felt at that moment.


	26. The Reckoning

**Chapter Twenty Six - The Reckoning**

 _Chapter Songs;_

 _Scene One; Winter Wind - Run River North  
Scene Two; God Loves War - Black Sugar Transmission  
_

* * *

Walking back through the house hand in hand, Jace and Clary were both at ease with small smiles on their faces. Jonathan and Valentine both looked up as they entered, concern on both their faces. Jonathan was on his feet instantly, reaching for his little sister. "Are you okay?"

She nodded, wrapping her free arm around him in a one-arm hugged. "I'm okay, Jon. Thank you." He placed a light kiss on her cheek as they pulled away, nodding for confirmation as they all went back to their seats. Instead of sitting on the floor this time, Clary took a seat besides Jace, sitting on her feet as she curled up into his side. She could see Valentine narrowing his eyes at them questioningly, but he made no vocal comment.

"Was she ever gonna tell us?" Clary asked as she looked up at her father, keeping her hands intertwined with Jace's as he rubbed soothing circles on her skin.

"She was." He admitted with a deep sigh and a nod. "On your eighteenth birthday. Both of your eighteenths." He looked to Jonathan, whom was 17 when she died. He pursed his lips as he looked down at his lap, almost ashamedly.

"What happened to the people who killed her?" It was Jace, this time, and Clary could tell from the tone of his voice he was asking with an Agent stance rather than just a curious one.

"The Academy found them. Some of them were killed while a mission was being carried out, the others were arrested and sentenced for life."

Clary nodded, staring off into the distance with a vacant expression. Jace tried to gauge how she was feeling by wrapping an arm around her waist, but she made no response. She was going into near shock, that much was evident - he'd been there twice before when she'd done so. But this time was different. She wasn't shaking, or crying uncontrollably. She seemed distant, disconnected from her body. It was like _she_ was there, but her mind wasn't.

"So what's the plan?" Clary choked out, her voice barely above a whisper as she continued to bore a hole into the spot on the wall she was staring at. Valentine looked at her with a confused expression, and out of the corner of her eye she must have noticed because instantly her focus changed to be on him. "How do we stop Starkweather?"

"Clarissa, it's not that simple-" Valentine began, but was swiftly interrupted by an angry Clary.

"No, _dad,_ it is that simple!" She almost shouted as she stood up in a range, Jace's arms dropping from her to rest on the sofa. "Your psychotic business partner who, need I remind you is my _Godfather-"_ she almost growled out the world, and Jace looked at Valentine in surprise. Well, that was one detail he hadn't known. "-is out to kill you and your two children. He needs to be stopped - simple!" She was becoming more animated with her hands as she spoke, and both Jace and Jonathan could tell this sudden outburst of anger was stemming from the information about her mother.

This wasn't like Clary. She wasn't an angry person, nor was she a very shouty-type of person. The past twenty four hours were clearly having a toll on her, and she was becoming borderline psychotic. Jace could see her hands shaking slightly as she spoke, and the tears threatening to brim at her eyes.

She was just about to shout something at her father when Jace quickly intercepted, placing himself between the pair as he wrapped his slender fingers around her wrists. He ducked his head down so that she was forced to look him in the eye. "Hey, Clary, it's gonna be okay." He whispered, quiet enough so only she could hear his words. "Relax, we're gonna take care of everything. Okay?"

She shakily looked between his eyes before nodding. "Okay." She squeaked out, and Jace pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"I love you. Remember that." He murmured with his lips still pressed against her skin.

"I love you, too." She swallowed hard as he placed another kiss on her forehead, before guiding them to sit back down once again. Instantly she buried her face into his neck, taking in deep breaths to calm herself down.

Jace could see the worried look on her brother's face from across the room. He furrowed his brows at his little sister, mouthing ' _Is she okay?'_ Jace nodded subtly, glancing down at the redhead curled in his arms before back up at her brother. _'She'll be fine.'_ He mouthed back.

The four were quiet for almost half an hour after that as everyone settled after the eventful morning, until Clary finally was able to withdraw the tight hold she had on Jace. He silently asked her if she was okay as she untangled herself from him, and she simply nodded.

Further silence followed that as everybody awkwardly tiptoed around each other, nobody knowing what to say or when to say it. Surprisingly Clary was the one to speak, her voice quiet and a lot more calm, now.

"Does anyone even have any ideas on how to move forward from this?" She glanced warily around at the three men in the room, Jace's own gaze focused on hers. Valentine refused to look her in the eye, and Jonathan was constantly flickering between all three of them.

"I'm holding a ball here next month." Valentine started cautiously, still not looking at anyone directly. "I used to hold it annually, but since your mother's death I thought it would be disrespectful to continue."

"The masquerade ball." Clary looked up at her father expectantly, a lighter expression on her face. "You used to hold it every day on Mom's birthday."

"It was her idea." Valentine smiled nostalgically as he finally looked up at his daughter. "She loved these balls, and big fancy parties. It was a way for her to embrace the community, bring everybody together. It was also an excuse to spend thousands of dollars on dresses, but..." he trailed off with a laugh, and even Clary found herself smiling at the memory.

On the 7th of November every year, since before Clary could even remember, the Morgensterns would hold an extravagant Masquerade Ball in honour of her mother. There would be dancing, meals, entertainment, speeches. It was a beautiful night that everybody would be talking about until the next one the following year. Although Clary had never embraced the idea of being the spoiled rich kid, the ball had always been her favourite time of the year. With a mask and a pretty dress, for one night she could pretend she was somebody else. Not the awkward, freckly ginger pre-teen that she always saw herself as. Not "Valentine's Daughter". But somebody else entirely.

"Starkweather will be there. It will be the perfect opportunity to set plans in motion." Jace was nodding approvingly at Valentine's words, watching him cautiously for any signs of mistruth behind his words. "Jace, if you and your Agent friends would like to meet sometime soon we can discuss battle strategies."

"A ball could work," Jace confirmed aloud. "Especially in this place. There's enough back rooms and hidden spaces that we could coax Starkweather away and rid him without anybody seeing. He wouldn't be expecting us to act in such a public event - it would be the perfect cover."

"What about if he comes after one of us before then?" Jonathan questioned, leaning forwards with his elbows on his knees as he looked around the room. "He's already attacked us once - who's to say he won't try again?"

"He won't." Valentine announced confidently, standing up and buttoning his blazer jacket. "I know Hodge, and I know that he's shaken after having two failed attacks." He slowly walked over to the open window where the lace curtains were flowing freely at the sides, stopping in front of it with his hands behind his back. "He's not so foolish to act again. He may get people to scout you out, but it's unlikely he'll throw a full blown attack at either of you so soon."

"You should increase your security detail, as well." Jace told him. "Clary and Jonathan both have twenty-four hour protection in the form of myself and my two partners, but we cannot guarantee your safety. If this whole mission is to go smoothly, you need to remain in tact."

"Don't worry about me, Agent Herondale." Valentine said as he turned back around to face the trio, a neutral expression on his face. "I know how to protect myself. After all, I've been on the run for twenty four years, remember?"

* * *

Five days later, Clary found herself curled up in the corner of Jace's sofa while four other people hustle and bustled around her. Everything in the room was so frantic, so loud, so animated, that Clary just needed to take a break from the scheming. She watched absentmindedly with her legs tucked underneath her and one hand in her lap. The other was on the back of the sofa, her head resting atop of it.

"Hey," Jace came around to Clary's side, wrapping an arm around her shoulders from where he stood. "You alright? You seem pretty quiet."

"I'm fine." She looked up at him with a smile, raising a hand to squeeze the hand on her shoulder reassuringly. "Just letting everything sink in."

Jace nodded with a scrutinising expression, before leaning down to kiss her sweetly. She stroked the side of his face as he pulled away, pressing another lingering kiss to his lips with a smile on her face.

"Alright," Isabelle's voice broke their intimate moment, and Jace rolled his eyes as he reluctantly pulled away. He sat himself down on the arm rest directly besides Clary so that she could still fiddle with his hand in her lap as they turned their attention to the group in front of them.

Jonathan was sat on the single arm chair at one end of the low table, Alec on the floor opposite Clary and Jace with Isabelle stood looming over the lot of them. A huge A1 sheet of white sugar paper sat on the table with black writing all over it, including drawings and directions and times. It hurt to look at, quite frankly, but was understandable if you knew the method behind the madness.

"The ball starts at 6:30pm, right?" She looked up between Jonathan and Clary for confirmation. He nodded, and she continued. "Clary and Jonathan, you'll both be inside with your father greeting the guests. As her date, you'll be there as well, Jace." She pointed with a perfectly manicured nail to a diagram where the letters 'J' for Jonathan, 'C' for Clary, and 'H' for Herondale were written. "Up until I give my say so, you're not to let either of them out of your sights. Got it?"

"Got it, Captain." Jace mock saluted her with a roll of his eyes. She glared daggers at him, but otherwise ignored the sarcasm as she continued with the explanation.

"Alec, you'll be around the ballroom." She turned to her brother this time. "Keep an eye on Starkweather at all times - don't let him leave the main room. Distract him if you have to, but make sure you stay inconspicuous. Valentine's got the entire house rigged with CCTV, so I'll be up in Clary's room with eyes on the cameras, should anything go wrong."

"Each of you will need one of these." She walked to the other side of the room and picked up a small, black briefcase, before kneeling on the floor by the table and opening it up. Surrounded by individual velvet padding was five sets of what appeared to be walkie talkies with wires running through them.

Carefully picking up one of them to show everyone, she shut the briefcase. "This is an ear piece." She showed a small, seemingly insignificant piece of black metal that was no bigger than a nail. "This is a microphone. The ear piece is wireless and the microphone is connected to this." She followed the wire to show the walkie-talkie like thing - a battery pack.

"Battery pack goes here," she hooked the back of it on the belt loop of her jeans, before wrapping the wire around her back and attaching the microphone to the inside of her shirt collar, so that it was invisible. "Make sure the skinny end is facing downwards, otherwise we'll lose connection between devices. Whichever is your less dominant side, place the ear piece there." Taking the tiny black speaker and placing it in her left ear, she dropped her hands with a 'voila' motion.

"Keep it all under your clothes, obviously. Everything is small enough so that it should be invisible to anyone not outwardly searching for it." She explained, opening the suitcase once again to show the other four devices. "I'll have the central communication deck with me upstairs, which means I'll be able to talk directly to each of you without the other hearing. The moment you turn your devices on, though, each of us will be able to hear everything from everybody." It was almost a silent warning as she glanced at each of the faces in the room individually.

Got it - everything Clary encountered, everyone else would be able to hear. Everything Jace encountered, everyone else would be able to hear, and so forth.

"You can turn it off and on just by tapping the ear piece," she gestured as such, "though I wouldn't recommend turning it off. Who knows what could happen at any moment, and we all need to know where each other are at any given time should anything go sour." She ordered with a cautious look as she unwound the communication device from around her and placed it back in its individual space.

"At seven there will be the opening Morgenstern Waltz." Jonathan interjected before Isabelle could continue, straightening up as he looked over at Clary's direction. "It's a tradition my father has always upheld. Clary, myself, and our father will take to the dance floor alongside Starkweather's wife, Elena." Upon seeing the confused expression from the three Lightwoods in the room, he explained further. "Usually it would be our mother - hence the Morgenstern name. But, given that she is not here, and my father insisted we still follow tradition, Elena offered herself."

Isabelle nodded in agreement, quickly writing that down as part of the plan in between two events. "Right. So, around seven thirty there will be speeches. Valentine will start, and he'll open the floor to anybody else whom wishes to make a toast. No doubt Starkweather will want to, so at that time everyone needs to be alert. Who knows if he might strike."

"At that point we switch up." Jace offered forwards, squeezing Clary's hands from where they were wrapped around his in her lap as he looked around at the faces in the room. "Alec you will watch out for Jonathan and Clary, and I will get Starkweather separated in the back room. From there, we make our move."

"Wait, why you?" Clary sat up straighter with her brows furrowed as she looked up at Jace, whom refused to meet her gaze. "Starkweather is dangerous, you can't go in there alone."

"We'll call in reinforcements." Jace nodded sternly. "The Institute has agreed to send ten additional agents to the event as back up. Two will follow me and remain close by while I coax Starkweather away."

"No way, it's too dangerous." She shook her head adamantly as she stood up, wrapping her arms around her torso as she looked between the three agents with an incredulous look. "You could get hurt!"

"And so could you!" He growled passionately as he, too, rose to his feet, grabbing her arms roughly as he turned her to face him. "I can't let you get hurt, Clary. Not today, not at the ball, not ever. I'm the only one who can safely protect you, which is why it has to be me to go after him." He lifted one of his hands to cup her cheek securely, his gaze flickering between both of her eyes. "I don't trust anybody else to get the job done. Please, just trust me."

Clary looked at him cautiously as she took in a deep breath, finally nodding. "Fine. But you talk to me through the ear piece the entire time so I know you're safe." He opened his mouth to protest, but she cut him off by placing her index finger over his lips. "Promise me, Jace! Promise me you'll do it. I couldn't live with myself if I knew you were hurt and there was something I could do to help you."

"I promise, Clary, it won't come to that." She nodded, leaning upwards to press her forehead against his as she closed her eyes. Jace placed a soft kiss to her nose before whispering his love into her ear. She just smiled as they both sat back down, Jace nodding for Isabelle to continue.

Isabelle watched them both as they settled back onto the sofa uncertainly, before looking back down at the plan in front of her. "We can't rule out that Starkweather might have back up. Agents will be stationed around the room to keep an eye out for them, and any known threats will be subtly disposed of beforehand."

"Once Jace has a hold of Starkweather, he will coax him onto the roof where armed forces will be awaiting his arrival." She looked over at Jace whom had taken a seat next to Clary this time. "Do whatever you can to get him up there. I know goading people is one of your favourite things, so just flash some Jace charm."

He smirked wickedly at her words, flashing a cheeky wink in her direction. "You know me too well, Iz."

She rolled her eyes with a heavy sigh as she moved to the other side of the room where she'd gotten the suitcase from previously, instead picking up a black vest-like item which was completely patternless, and completely neutral. It stood up on it's own as she placed it on the table, and she rested her hands on the top of it. "Every one of you will be wearing one of these. It's a bullet proof and a stab proof vest. Like I've said before, we cannot rule out that Starkweather's men may not be there, so I'd like everyone to be protected to the extreme."

"I can't wear that." Clary said with a shake of her head, though it came across more as rich snobby kid than she had expected to. Upon seeing Isabelle's narrowing eyes, she quickly readjusted her statement. "It's not exactly inconspicuous with a dress. Sure, for these guys - they'll be wearing suits. That makes it easy to hide a hunking load of thick material with five inch shoulder straps. I can't exactly do that."

"Then we'll find something else." Isabelle corrected sharply, her eyes widening as she moved the bulletproof vest back to where she got it from. "I'm sure the Academy will have something suitable that will still protect you."

"Once Starkweather is taken care of, then we're scot-free." Jace announced with a menacing glare as he stood up with a pointed slap to his lap. "As long as there is an eye on Jonathan, Valentine, and Clary, at all times then everything should fall into place."

"So that settles it then." Jonathan also stood up from his seat, his eyes settling on his little sister with a protective glance. "Let's catch ourselves a conman."

* * *

 _EDIT: Sorry for switching from third to first person half way through! My other fanfic is in first person and I took a break halfway through writing this chapter, and when I returned I completely forgot I was supposed to be writing 'she' instead of 'me'. I've edited it all, now, and hopefully fixed everything! Again, I apologise for the mistake._


	27. The Mask we Live in

**Chapter Twenty Seven - The Mask We Live In**

 _If you've been on my profile lately you'll have seen I've been suffering from writer's block with this chapter, having rewritten it about three times. I just wasn't happy with anything I did, however now I am much much more happier! Since it's been a while since I've updated, this chapter is extra long, being over 7,000 words. I hope you enjoy it!_

 **WARNING: Scene Four contains M-Rated material in the form of smut. You have been warned.**

 _Chapter Songs;_

 _Scene One; Figure It Out - Royal Blood  
Scene Two; Ava - FAMY  
Scene Three; Your Kind Of Girl - Jules Larson  
Scene Four; Your Love - Fay Wolf  
_

* * *

It had been two weeks since the visit to Clary's childhood home, and it a little over a week until the masquerade ball. Everyone was on edge, to say the least, and there had been way too many uncomfortable evening meals with her and Jonathan's father. After everything she and Jonathan went through for 18 years with the guy, it felt weird to be willingly working with him. But what other choice did they have?

Nobody had seen much of Isabelle as of late - odds are she was working a lot in the Academy, finalising the plans for the day of the attack. Jonathan and Alec were spending a lot of time together at lacrosse training, Jace and Clary were spending most of their time together - even Simon was occupied with band practice and school work. Despite all the threats surrounding them, life seemed to go on as normal, and nobody was none the wiser. "I guess that's just the mask we live in," Jonathan had said when Clary suggested as much one morning over breakfast.

It was early in the morning on a Saturday, and Clary was trying desperately to force herself back to sleep. She was dreading the day ahead of her, and she wanted nothing more than just to wish it away. She must have tossed and turned at least hundred times in the last five minutes, and it wasn't until the one hundred and first time that she finally gave up. She dropped onto her back, looking up at the ceiling, with a heavy sigh.

She'd been staying at her father's more frequently than she would have liked, as well, last night being one of those nights. What with all the meetings about the ball, and the father-children bonding time he wanted to be doing, it seemed like the easiest option just to stay there rather than driving across town all the time.

"You done?" An amused Jace piped up from where he lay besides her, eyes closed with a seemingly asleep face. Clary frowned at the sound, turning on her side to face him just as he opened his eyes. He looked at her with a laugh upon his lips.

"I thought you were asleep. Did I wake you?"

"Only after about the tenth time you huffed." He smirked, opening his arms for her. Without hesitation she shuffled towards him, burying her face into his chest with a content sigh. The moment he wrapped his arms around her small frame, all her troubles seemed to melt away. She closed her eyes as she focused on his steady breathing while he stroked soothingly down her long, perfect curls.

He kissed the top of her head before tucking her underneath his chin. "What's got you so frustrated?" He whispered as he continued his soothing strokes. She squeezed her eyes tighter with a shake of her head, resting her balled up fists between their chests.

"Just not looking forward to today." She mumbled unconvincingly, opening her eyes to stare off absently at his shoulder. "I haven't had Cotillion lessons since my Mom died - it just won't be the same without her... I wish you could be there."

"Well, who says I can't?" Jace said optimistically, a hint of mischief in his tone of voice.

Clary rolled her eyes, being certain that she could have put money on him saying that. She pulled away far enough so that she could look up at him a 'really?' sort of look, while he just replaced it with his own questioning yet stupidly cute face. "Jace, you don't dance."

He inhaled a sharp take of breath at that, scowling childishly at her. He removed one of his arms from around her and placed it against his chest. "How dare you suggest something so offensive? I'll have you know, I am a brilliant dancer."

"Shut up!" She laughed, slapping his bare chest. "Jace Herondale dances? Like, Cotillion style dances?"

"Well, I don't know about Cotillion," he debated with pursed lips, looking up at the ceiling as if pretending to think about something. "But I know my fair share of ballroom dancing. Waltz, Tango, Quickstep, Foxtrot. I even know a little Paso Doble." He grinned cheekily as he wiggled his eyebrows.

Clary rolled her eyes as she was about to retaliate, but Jace promptly cut her short as he rolled her over onto her back as he attacked her neck with kisses and her waist with tickles. She simultaneously screamed and laughed as she threw her head back, forcing her hands onto his shoulders as she desperately tried to shove him off her. He was merciless, grinning against the skin at the base of her neck as she begged him to stop between her bouts of laughter.

"Jace. Jace, no - stop!" She ran her hands up through to his hair and tried to tug him away from her. He growled at the sensation, stopping his movements. She gasped for air as he stopped, dropping her head down onto the pillow as she looked up at him. He was still hovering on top of her, looking down with a wicked glint in his eyes. "Did you seriously just pull my hair?"

"Uh-" she looked up at where her hands were and attempted to sly shift them down to his shoulders. "No?"

He looked at her with an incredulous look, shaking his head as a small smirk appeared on his lips. "You really are a little Vixen." He ducked his head down to her throat once again, and she braced herself for more torturous tickling, but was surprised when he kissed his way down from her jaw to the join between her neck and her shoulder.

She hummed blissfully as she let her eyes closed, her hands once again drifting up into his hair. She felt him wet the skin there with his tongue before growling, biting her sharply and sucking at the sensitive skin. Clary gasped at both the pleasure and the pain it brought, tightening her grip on his hair. She swallowed hard as he pulled away, placing a soft kiss on the spot he just marked.

Jace pulled away and looked down at her with a lustful gaze, intermittently looking between her eyes and her lips. They were parted into a soft 'o' shape, and slightly pouted. Both their breathing were laboured as he leaned down to her, wanting nothing more than to kiss and bite her lower lip the same way he had her neck. Clary closed her eyes, her breath hitching in her throat at the anticipation.

Their lips were barely touching when there was a loud knock at the door, stopping Jace in his tracks. He closed his eyes and cursed underneath his breath. "Up and at 'em, lovebirds!" Jonathan's annoyingly chipper voice interrupted. Clary clenched her teeth together as she imagined burning all of Jonathan's lacrosse kit in spite of his impeccable timing, though the rational part of her was saying to play nice. "Clary, lesson starts in an hour and a half. Feel free to join father and I for breakfast."

Clary sighed, looking up at Jace with a pout. "Rain check?"

He chuckled, lowering himself down to give her a quick yet scorching kiss. "Definitely."

* * *

Jace and Clary had decided to skip breakfast, mainly since her father didn't know he stayed over, and coming down the stairs later would make it easier to pass off as Jace having arrived early in the morning. It was odd, sneaking a boy around in her father's house despite the fact they were 18 and 19 years old. To be fair, they also missed breakfast since Clary spent most of her time trying to find her old dancewear. Jace had sat on the bed teasing her as she scoured the many drawers for it, earning a handful of clothes thrown at his face.

Come 11am, the duo finally made their way down the stairs and headed towards the main ballroom. Jace hadn't exactly brought 'dancing' clothes with him, so he was just wearing his typical jeans and a tshirt. Clary was dressed in a black leotard that had a solid black stretch fabric covering her breasts with lace going up the chest and down the stomach. She also had a pair of casual leggings on, her black strappy ballroom heels in one hand and her practice dance skirt in the other.

"You didn't tell me how you learned to dance." Clary accused with a small smile as they made their way into the ballroom. "I do believe we got a little distracted."

Jace wrapped an arm around her waist and leaned down to whisper something suggestive in her ear, causing her to giggle and spin away from him into the empty room. "If you must know," he smirked as he followed her into the room. "Maryse taught all her children how to dance from a young age. As an agent, sometimes you're expected to attend these fancy-shmancy events in which you're required to dance to blend in."

"So how many of these 'fancy-shmancy events' have you attended?" Clary arched an eyebrow as she outstretched her hand. Jace took it and swiftly spun it around her head with his hand on her waist. She squealed as she spun back around to face him, grinning as she placed her other hand onto his chest.

"One or two." He deliberated as he pulled her close, pressing their bodies tightly together. He leaned down and pressed their lips together, running the hand that was on her waist down her back. She squealed again when he smacked her bottom playfully, and he grinned against her lips.

"Agent Herondale." A suggestive voice called out from behind them, forcing Clary to jump back from him in surprise with her hand raised to her lips. Jace coughed awkwardly as he tried to hide the smirk on his lips as he turned around to face the man in the archway.

"Mr Morgenstern." He greeted formally as he raised his arms in a wide gesture of greeting. "Pleasure to see you."

Valentine stepped into the room and nodded towards his daughter, who bit her lip and looked away with a bashful expression, clearly embarrassed about being caught making out with her boyfriend in the middle of her father's ballroom. He was wearing a pair of slack black trousers and a white button up shirt, which was surprisingly less formal than what he typically wore, but still managed to show Jace up in his casual wear.

"I take it you'll be joining us?" He looked over to where Jace was standing, looking up at him expectantly.

"I thought it might be useful to offer my expertise." Jace smirked over in Clary's direction, flashing her a cheeky wink. She gave him an outraged look as she nodded pointedly towards her father. He pretended not to see it, turning back to her father. "I'm classically trained in ballroom dancing, you see."

"As are my children." He said boastfully, just as Jonathan came through the same way Valentine came. He was looking around the room with an amused expression as he fixed the cuffs of his sleeves.

"Yeah, except neither of us have danced for two years." He chuckled as he walked over to one of the stools so he could sit and tie up his laces.

"I'm sure you will be fine, Jonathan." Valentine huffed at his eldest child. "Besides, that's what this session is for - I'd like both you and your sister to be in perfect preparation for the ball."

Just then, the doorbell rang, and Valentine dismissed himself to go and get it. Clary wandered over to sit besides her brother as she put on her practice skirt, before removing her leggings and folding them up over the back of the chair. The skirt was black and floor length, several chiffon layers thick that flowed nicely around Clary's dainty figure. It blended seamlessly with her lace leotard, and Jace couldn't help but think about how attractive she looked in the outfit.

She was just buckling the straps of her shoes up when Valentine came back in with a pointed cough that caught everybody's attention. Behind him stood a woman with dark burgundy hair that was curled into a bun at the base of her neck. She was maybe late twenties and was tall and willowy with sun-kissed skin, wearing a plain black tank top with black compression pants. She had a pair of heels in her hand that were similar to Clary's except in beige. The Cotillion tutor.

"Clarissa, Jonathan, you remember Celeste." Valentine outstretched his hand to the side to present the woman. She smiled politely at the siblings, before Valentine gestured towards Jace. "Jace Herondale, this is Celeste - she was Clary and Jonathan's dance instructor when they were younger. Celeste, this is Jace, Clarissa's boyfriend."

"Pleasure to meet you." He flashed his winning smile as he stepped forwards to shake her hand.

"You too, Jace."

Twenty minutes later Jace and Clary found themselves wrapped in each other's embrace in a close ballroom hold. They'd been stood like that for at least the past five minutes while Celeste fussed around with Jonathan who was seemingly having a _lot_ of trouble with remembering how to do even the basics. Clary rolled her eyes at her brothers weird attempts at flirting with a woman ten years older than him.

"Oh, come on." Jace chided in her ear with a smirk. "Don't be so judgey. He is 19, remember."

"Yeah, and she's like, almost thirty." She looked at him with disbelief. "As much as I hate Kaelie, I think even she'd be better matched for him than Celeste. She's known him since he was eight - wouldn't that be a little weird?"

"A little." He admitted with a laugh, smiling down at her. She returned the smile with her own affectionate one, breaking the ballroom hold to place her hands on his neck. She leaned up and kissed him sweetly, the smile still on her lips. "Why don't we go on a date tonight?"

Clary leaned back with an arched eyebrow. "A date? Like a real, legit date?"

"No, a fake date." He rolled his eyes, squeezing her waist to get a reaction out of her. "Of course a real date. I was thinking maybe a double date - you seem to be pretty stressed out about everything that's going on lately, and I know Alec has been dying to go out with his new boyfriend but is too afraid to go alone."

"Him and Magnus?" Clary's mouth dropped open with shock, and her eyes went wide. "Are they, like, official?"

Jace scoffed. "As official as you can be without actually calling it 'official'. They look good together - except for the fact that Magnus likes to leave glitter all over my bathroom." He wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"Yeah, Magnus'll do that." Clary laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning up onto her tiptoes with an excited grin. "So, the four of us? Where?"

"You just leave that to me," he smirked secretively, kissing the tip of her nose.

Clary opened her mouth to say something, but was swiftly interrupted by Celeste's high pitched scolding them for moving from their ballroom hold. Clary rolled her eyes once again, and Jace just smirked at her as they moved back into position.

* * *

"Don't you look all fancy." Clary grinned as Magnus emerged from her bathroom wearing form fitted trousers, a black button up and a deep burgundy, velvet jacket. At first she'd been surprised by his look, not seeing a hint of glitter or sparkle in the clothes, but then she noticed the deep blue glitter lining his eyes, bringing out his cat-like eyes.

They'd decided to both get ready at Clary's since it would be most convenient for everybody involved; Jace and Alec only lived across the hallway, so making one stop that took five seconds made more sense than driving all the way across town. It was also beneficial for Clary, since she was totally hopeless when it came to coordinating 'nice' outfits for dates or parties. That just made Magnus all the more useful.

"Says you, Lady in Red." Magnus stepped across the room to take Clary's hand, spinning her around excitedly. She squealed in surprise, reaching out to grab the lapel of his jacket so she wouldn't fall over in her heels.

She was wearing a sleeveless tight white crop top, the padded bra she was wearing underneath giving her a more fuller figure. She had on a red skirt that went to mid thigh with a sheer, chiffon material over the top that went to about her knee but was longer in the back than it was the front. She accessorised - or rather, Magnus had accessorised her - with matching 4 inch red platform shoes that had silver studs on the heels, bringing her to a more respectable height of 5 foot 5. She had on red feathered earrings and a chunky red bracelet on each wrist, and on her bed was a glittery golden clutch, bringing the whole look together. She had flare-fitted white winter jacket hanging up at her door that she'd never worn before, but Magnus had insisted would look perfect with the outfit.

"We match." Clary giggled, bringing her arm with the red bracelet besides his with his burgundy jacket. He chuckled as well, placing a kiss on her temple before striding over to the floor length mirror to give himself a once over.

"Guess I have a thing for red." He joked, and Clary shook her head affectionate as she watched him fuss over his hair.

She leaned against the desk on the far side of the room and folded her arms, watching him curiously. She could tell he was psyching himself out for the night ahead, the worry lines on his forehead becoming more prominent the longer he fiddled with his outfit. "You're nervous, aren't you?" She said curiously, without teasing.

He laughed once, closing his eyes with a wry shake of his head as he turned around to look over at her through his lashes. "That obvious?"

"It's okay to be nervous." She promised, slowly making her way over to him while swinging her arms. "I was nervous as hell before my first date with Jace - you saw me. But all the worry was for nothing, because everything went perfectly."

"Yeah, but this isn't our first date." He looked at her with a sarcastic expression. "We've already been on half a dozen. But this is the first one in _public._ Like a busy place with real people and -"

"Magnus!" Clary grabbed his arm and turned him to look at her before he could speak himself into a further psychotic spiral. "You are one of the most badass people I have ever met. You are confident, you are brilliant, and tonight you're going to be your usual dazzling self and this double date is going to be brilliant."

"But what if _he_ freaks out?" He continued, pulling Clary back in front of him when she tried to guide him out of the room. His eyes widened in surprise as he looked down at her. "I'm the first guy he's ever dated. What if being in public with another man sets him off, and he kicks me to the curb? He's already had a hard enough time accepting that he's gay - this is a big deal for him."

Clary furrowed her brows, looking up at him in surprise. He seemed genuinely worried about this date, and not at all like his usual confident self. Magnus Bane could have any man or woman he wanted with the snap of his fingers, and he never even batted an eye. This time was different. He was flustered, nervous - g _enuinely_ making an effort to be perfect instead of his usual demeanour which just _happens_ to be perfect.

"You love him." It wasn't a question. It was a statement. Clary was thoughtful as she said it, a knowing smile on her lips.

Magnus let out a breathy laugh as he ran his hands through his hair, looking down at the ground before up at him. One corner of his lips were turned up into a smile, and his eyebrows were arched. "I do, Clary. I've never felt this way before; about anyone!" He shook his head, biting his lip as he tried to hold back a laugh. "By the Angel, I'm going soft."

"You are not going soft!" Clary rolled her eyes as she bumped her shoulder with his in a friendly gesture. "You're growing up... Have you told him how you feel?"

He shook his head. "Not yet. I want to, but I'm afraid the moment I do then everything will fall apart. What if he gets scared and runs off? Then everything we've built over the past month will have been for nothing."

"And what if none of that happens, and he feels the same way?" She tilted her head at him with a ' _really?'_ sort of expression. "What if he's been in love with you this entire time, and he's just been to scared to say it first through his own fear of coming on too strong? Did you ever think about that?"

"No, I guess I didn't." He furrowed his brows and shook his head. He laughed to himself, taking in a deep breath. "You're right. I'm Magnus, _freaking,_ Bane!"

"Hell yeah you're Magnus freaking Bane!" Clary grinned wide, raising her hand for a high five. He looked at her in disbelief, and she pouted. "Come on - you really gonna leave a girl hanging?" He continued to look at her, and she put on a progressively sad face until she was almost forcing tears to brim. Magnus rolled his eyes and finally returned the high five with a half-assed attempt.

Clary took what she could get and laughed, bringing their hands down so she could loop her arm through his. "Come on, Sparkles." She teased, using Jace's nickname for him. Damn, he really was beginning to rub off on her. "Let's go wait for our men."

Jace and Alec had jointly chosen the location of their date for the night, though judging by where they were Clary had a sneaking suspicion that it was mostly Jace.

They were in _The Modern_ \- a beautiful restaurant located in the heart of The Museum of Modern Art on the south side of Central Park. It was labelled as a French-New American cuisine styled restaurant, and was two floors high overlooking the Museum's Sculpture Gardens. From floor to ceiling on the side of the gardens was covered in windows, the blueish lights illuminating the sculptures in the night light reflecting nicely in the modern restaurant. The four of them had been seated on the top floor right besides the window, Clary and Jace on one side of the table with Magnus and Alec on the other.

The evening had gone incredibly well thus far, much to everybody's delight. Alec had driven the four of them to the Museum where they walked around in their own couples for an hour or two before meeting outside the restaurant a little before 8.30pm. Magnus and Alec had approached them hand-in-hand, and Clary had to hide her grin when she saw how affectionately they were looking at each other. When she'd given Magnus a subtle quizzical look when nobody else was looking, he had flashed her a cheeky wink in return, answering her unasked question. a

"So, Clary," Magnus looked across the table at her after their desserts had arrived; he had chosen the pineapple compote and lychee sorbet, Alec the creme fraiche sorbet, Jace the candied hazlenut and butterbeer ice cream, and Clary the sweetened baklava with matcha ice cream. "Have you made any sort of decision about the internship in the summer?"

"Internship?" Jace turned to her with a curiously arched eyebrow. "What sort of internship."

Clary avoided looking him in the eye as she scooped a load of ice cream into her mouth, trying her best to stall before answering. She hadn't told Jace about the opportunity to head to France in the summer yet. Not because she wanted to hide it from him - but because she was worried what it would mean for their relationship. Truth be told she wasn't sure what would happen after his mission was over, nevermind the summer in six months time.

She swallowed her food, stabbing at the ice cream with her spoon as she spoke. "Oh - Madame Dorothea, one of my teachers at the university, she offered the first year Steinhardt students an apprenticeship over in France for a couple months in the summer with some European artist. She said she could put in a good word for me to get it, though, and the spot is essentially mine if I want it."

"That's a brilliant opportunity for you!" Jace grinned with bright eyes, wrapping one arm around her waist. She peered up at him with surprise, smiling when she saw his genuine excitement for her. "What's stopping you from going for it?"

"I don't really know," she shrugged. It wasn't a complete lie - she knew that she would be stupid not to accept the offer, and by not doing so she was just wasting time. But she also knew that she had to talk it through with Jace as well, to see where they stood in the long term. Clary wasn't sure if she could handle the long distance thing, and she knew Jace was too dedicated to his job to move with her. "It's a big change - it's just something I need time to think over."

"Well, you know I'll be over there anyway." Magnus grinned deviously over at her as he put a scoop of his sorbet into his mouth. Swallowing, he continued. "I always spend my summers travelling in Europe - at least you'll have me nearby if you ever get homesick."

* * *

The evening soon came to a close, and everyone found themselves quietly content in the car ride home. Alec stopped outside his apartment block first, keeping the engine running as Clary and Jace opened their doors in the back. He turned around to face Jace, his arm on the back of Magnus' seat from where he sat in the passenger seat. "I'm gonna head over to Magnus', alright?" Jace nodded, giving him a brotherly hand gesture as they parted. "Don't wait up!"

Clary and Jace watched from the main door as he drove off, Clary smiling knowingly to herself before they both headed inside. It had gotten warm over the course of the night despite it being winter, so she had her jacket folded over her arms and Jace had his signature leather jacket tossed over his shoulder.

The pair hesitated awkwardly in the lobby of their floor for a moment as they debated whether to part their separate ways, or stay with each other - and if they stayed with each other, then in whose apartment?

"Come on," Clary eventually decided for both of them with a smile, her lower lip between her teeth as she took his hand and pulled him towards her door. "I know for a fact that Jonathan is out for the night, and I have a feeling Simon is with Isabelle. I'm sure you'd rather not be in the middle of that." She teased as she opened up the door, guiding them both inside.

Just as she said, the apartment was empty, all the lights turned off and all the curtains drawn shut. Clary hung her jacket up besides the door and gestured for Jace to do the same, before they both headed to Clary's bedroom. She flipped on the lights, heading directly towards her makeup desk to take off her jewelry.

"I had fun tonight." She smiled at Jace's reflection through the mirror as he walked to sit on the bed directly behind her. "Thank you for everything. It was nice to regain some normalcy after such an odd and busy couple of weeks."

"You know I'd do anything for you." He promised genuinely as she placed her earrings in a small black box. She spun around on her chair so she was facing him, smiling. He opened her arms for her, and she immediately moved so that she was in his lap with her arms wound lightly around his neck.

Jace wrapped one arm around her waist to stop her from falling while the other lifted her legs up onto the bed, reaching over to take off her shoes. She sighed in relief as he threw them across the room, the 4" heels having begun to hurt and irritate her towards the end of the evening. He let out a small chuckle as he lightly ran his hand up her legs, admiring the sight and the feel.

Within the month that he'd been training her, Jace had noticed a significant change in her body, and he meant that in the least sexual way possible. She had muscles in her arms and legs and torso that hadn't been there before, and she was much more fuller in her figure than she had been before. She was still small, though, and Jace silently reveled in that detail. He reveled in the fact that even on tiptoes she couldn't reach up and kiss him, or that he could scoop her into his arms as if she was as light as a feather. She was small, and playful, and perfect.

"You're awfully quiet." Clary murmured thoughtfully as she stroked the baby hairs at the back of his neck, watching him as he trailed his hands further up her body. "What's going on in your mind?"

He shook his head, a small smile on his lips. He looked up into her piercing emerald eyes, falling in love all over again. "Just admiring how beautiful you are." His voice was barely above a whisper, and he saw the blush creep on her cheeks. He smiled at the power he had over her, simple words and actions making her react in the most incredible of ways.

He leaned towards her and pressed a soft kiss to her lips, the kiss being as sweet as could be. He cupped his hand around her knee as he wrapped her around him, her own hand running through his hair while the other cupped the back of his neck. Jace tugged at her lower lip, a silent plead for entrance, which she gave with a light moan.

Soon their kiss became more heated, and Clary found herself straddling him on the bed where he sat. He ran his hands all over her, pressing on her lower back as he pulled her desperately close to his body. She tightened her grip in his hair as their breathing became more ragged, and Clary slowly leaned into him to force him backwards to lie on the bed.

"Mm, Clary," Jace groaned, placing his hands on her hips as they came up for air. Clary was panting hard, looking down at him with lust and love in her eyes as her hands rested on his chest. Jace looked torn, his grip tightening around her. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

She nodded firmly, swallowing hard. "I want to, Jace." She whispered, leaning down and kissing him sweetly. "I love you. And I want you to be my first." He placed his hands lightly on her waist as he pulled them both up into a sitting position, her still straddling him.

He was watching her thoughtfully, and her curiously, as his eyes gazed down every inch of her body. He took his time as he skirted his fingers down her torso, grabbing the hem of her crop top. He looked up at her once again for confirmation, and she nodded.

Slowly but surely he stripped every inch of her clothing off, tossing it to the floor, leaving her in just her matching black and pink lace bra and underwear. She blushed at how revealed she was, having the sudden urge to cover herself up. When she tried to distract him from her body by pressing a hasty kiss to his lips, he tore himself away, cupping her cheek.

"Don't hide yourself from me." He whispered sincerely, gazing up into her eyes. "You are the most beautiful woman I have ever met, and I never want you to be ashamed or insecure about your body." She smiled at him, a small, incredulous laugh escaping her lips.

She placed her own hand over his, leaning into his touch as she closed her eyes. "Thank you." She said quietly. "For everything. In all of this, you're the only thing keeping me sane."

Jace rubbed her cheekbone with his thumb as he coaxed her open her eyes, which eventually she did. In return he kissed her, their mouths molding perfectly together almost immediately. He wrapped his arms around her waist and slowly turned them both around, lying her flat in the centre of the bed as he rolled over to hover atop of her.

Soon their movements became frantic, Clary shoving Jace backwards so that she was straddling him once again. She pulled away from his lips to sit up straight, trailing her hands down his chest to begin unbuttoning his shirt. He helped her shrug it off, before doing the same with his shoes, belt, and trousers. She was about to tug down his boxers as well, but he interrupted her movements by rolling them over to their original position with him on top.

"Impatient, are we?" He teased as he grazed her earlobe with his teeth, making her whine quietly and arch her body into his. He grinned wickedly at the motion, slipping his hand behind her back to take off her bra in one fowl swoop.

He tossed the offensive article of clothing with the rest of the forgotten clothes on the floor, running his hands down her body hungrily as he took her in. "So, so beautiful." He murmured quietly, more to himself than to her. He ducked his head down and instantly started teasing one of her nipples, making her gasp in surprise. With one hand he cupped the other one, kneading the soft skin lightly as he bit at her hardened nipple.

"Jace!" Clary's hands tangled in his hair at the sensation, her entire being having a sensory overload. She wasn't used to such feelings, and her entire body was reacting in ways she'd never experienced before - yet she was loving every minute of it.

He trailed soft kisses from her breast, up her chest, neck, and across her jaw, before hovering teasingly over her lips. His hand that had been caressing her had trailed down her torso and was now skirting painfully close to her underwear, making teasing circles on her thigh. He watched as her eyes closed and a silent whimper escaped her lips in the form of a breathy sigh.

Jace placed his fingers over the top of her panties, opening up her legs with his knees to allow him better access. He groaned at the feeling of how wet she was through the underwear, ducking his head down so his mouth was buried against her neck. She let out a strangled noise at the feeling, peering down as he slowly slid her underwear down and off her legs.

"Do you trust me?" He asked, gazing down into her eyes. His hand hovered at her thigh as he loomed over her, wanting - no, _needing -_ her confirmation for him to go ahead. She nodded, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck as she tugged him down for a passionate kiss.

She gasped against his lips as she felt a finger slip inside her folds, making her hips buck up automatically. He forced her down by placing his other hand firmly on her hip, pressing her down to the bed. He tested the waters first by simply skirting a finger along her slit, before finally sliding it inside her. He groaned again as he pumped his finger in and out of her, eventually sliding a second, and then a third finger in.

Eventually Clary found herself whimpering beneath his touch, her mouth close to his ear as she gripped and tugged desperately at his hair. "Jace, please!" She gasped, a knot forming in the bottom of her stomach as he pumped faster. He slowly stilled his actions, before removing his fingers from her and pulling back to look her in the eye once again.

"You're sure about this?" He asked sternly, waiting for her confirmation. Instead she released her firm grip on his hair and skirted them down his body, tugging his boxers off from around him. When they got too far for her arms to reach, she used her feet to slide them the rest of the way off, wrapping her arms tightly around his back as she urged him on.

He groaned as he felt the tip of his hardened cock graze her slit, and she inhaled a sharp intake of breath. He let out a strangled groan, dropping his head down to her shoulder. "Are you-"

"Yeah." She interrupted with a breathy voice, swallowing hard. She let out a shaky laugh, running a hand down his perfectly muscled back. "Not to break the mood, but Isabelle kind of forced me onto the pill when she found out about us."

He chuckled against her neck, pressing a soft kiss there. "Guess I'll have to thank her another time."

Jace gripped his member with one hand and her hip with the other, slowly guiding himself inside her slick folds. She cried out loudly at the immediate pain, and Jace stilled within her. He whispered words of apology and comfort into her ear as he let her settle, stroking her side reassuringly. When she was comfortable enough to go on, she pressed a hand against her lower back and urged him forwards.

Inch by inch he slid himself inside her, pausing every now and then to let her adjust. When he was fully inside her he let out a satisfied groan, looking up to gauge Clary's reaction. She seemed to be in less pain, now, and was more sighing than crying at the sensation. He captured her lips with his as he began slowly pulling out, thrusting inside her.

She tossed her head back with a moan at the sensation, the pain still there but slowly subsiding as it was replaced with pure pleasure. She felt Jace's lips kiss a line down her throat as he picked up the pace to a more comfortable rhythm, grunting and panting with each thrust. "By the Angel, you feel so good, Clary."

"Fuck, Jace!" She whimpered as she felt his grip around her waist tighten, and she was sure she'd be left with bruises. She felt the knot in her stomach building, and her breathing became more rapid. Jace bit sharply at the base of her neck on the opposite side of the bite he'd left earlier that morning, essentially giving her matching twin hickeys. "Jace, I'm so close."

He reached down between their bodies to rub circles against her clit, making her cry out again in bliss. Her body bucked beneath his and she whimpered uncontrollably, the sensation in her stomach overwhelming every other emotion she felt in that moment. Jace was grunting loudly against her skin as his grip began to weaken and his thrusts became uneven. He urged her further as he thrust deeper, shouting out Clary's name as he felt himself slowly begin to unravel inside her.

"Clary!" The sound sent her over the urge, and she felt the knot in her stomach explode and tingle their way through her lower regions and her legs, and she cried out his name passionately. The feeling of them both cumming together was more overwhelming than she ever could have imagined, and she felt her body weaken as Jace milked them both out.

After a few stilled minutes, Jace pulled out of her, and she let out a noise at the absent of him. He wanted badly to collapse besides his girl and curl up to sleep with her, but he knew he had to make sure she was okay. He reached across for the tissues on the cabinet besides her bed and took a couple, using them to clean their pair of them up. There was a small bit of blood mixed in with the other fluids, and Jace had to hold back the cursing. He hated the thought he had hurt her, that he had caused her pain.

He shook the thought out of his head as he tossed the tissues into the bin, finally sliding besides Clary. Immediately she curled her body against his, despite how hot and sweaty they both were as they laid atop the bed covers. He wrapped an arm around her and held their bodies tightly together while the other stroked her hair, the repetitious motion soothing them both.

"How are you feeling?" Jace kissed the top of Clary's head after a few minutes of silent. She didn't move to look up at him, instead just tightening her grip around him. "Did I hurt you?"

"No!" She said immediately, shaking her head against his chest. "You didn't hurt me. I mean - it hurt, but you didn't _hurt_ me. It was only at the start."

"I'm so sorry," he whispered sadly, his words forcing her to look up at him. She had a light sheen of sweat coating her forehead, and her cheeks were rozy red - a nice contrast to her eyes, and really brought out the freckles decorating her nose.

"I loved it, Jace." She smiled, cupping his jaw and giving him a sweet, closed-mouth kiss. "I trusted you entirely, and you made every single moment as perfect as it could have been."

He furrowed his brows. "You sure you're okay?"

She nodded with a smile. "Never been better."

Jace placed a quick yet loving kiss on her lips, every ounce of emotion poured into the one motion. She smiled as she pulled away, stroking his cheek. "I love you, Jace."

"I love you too, Clary." He whispered as she rested her head back on his chest. "Get some sleep - today was a busy day." He smiled happily as he stroked her hair, blissfully drifting to sleep quicker than he'd ever drifted before, his dreams full of the perfect red-head Goddess that he was lucky enough to call his.


	28. The Calm Before the Storm

**Chapter Twenty Eight - The Calm Before the Storm**

 _Chapter Songs;_

 _Scene One;_ _Please Don't Leave Quite Yet - Adam Agin_ _  
Scene Two; Hands Of Time - Rachel Diggs  
Scene Three; __Never Get To Heaven - Sarah Blaine_

* * *

The absence of a particular person woke Clary up early the next morning as she rolled over with an outstretched arm, her hand only hitting cold fabric. She blinked open her eyes and furrowed her brows in confusion, using her elbows to push her up slightly as she took in the empty bed. The crystal white sheets on the other side of the large double bed were crinkled and hanging off the side, the sheet wrapped around her own body barely even covering her most private parts.

She slumped down into the fluffed pillows with a shy smile as she recalled the previous night's events, her fingertips skirting down her stomach as she closed her eyes in silent remembrance. Her body still felt tingly, even though it had been hours since everything happened. Everything still seemed so vivid, and the light bruises on her hips only enhanced that feeling.

Clary looked at the clock on the side of her bed and saw it read 8.15am - slightly later than she usually woke up. She guessed the night's events followed by the good sleep had taken a toll on her. She let her eyes skim across the room and rest on the ajar door, gentle music and clashing of dishes being heard if she strained her ears. She sat up in wonder, wrapping the bed sheets around herself as she got up and headed out of the door.

She was still slightly sleepy as she stepped through the hallway and into the main apartment, smiling when she saw Jace in the kitchen in just his pale blue pyjama pants that he'd left at her place for 'safe keeping' a few weeks ago. He must of heard her approaching, because he quickly looked up from where he was plating some pancakes to peer directly at her. His hair was gently tousled from sleep, but still had their supermodel beach waves, and his eyes were glistening behind his smile. "Good morning."

"Morning." She said with a sleep-ridden voice as she sat down on a bench at the island, surprise evident in her tone. She wrapped the sheet tighter around herself to make sure everything was hidden - just in case. "What's all this?"

"I thought you might of appreciated a lie in." He shrugged nonchalantly as he placed a plate in front of her, the other at the seat besides her. He turned around to open up the fridge, taking out a can of fresh squirty cream as well as a variety of small fruits. He placed both in between their plates, getting utensils for them before finally settling besides her.

Half way through eating in comfortable silence, Clary couldn't help but giggle to herself, earning a curious expression from Jace. She stabbed a blueberry with her fork, popping it into her mouth. "Look how domestic we are. You're a top secret agent for the government, and I've got one of the most powerful business men on the East side of America wanting me dead. And yet here we are, just sat in my apartment eating pancakes like we don't have a care in the world."

"Well, we don't." He smirked, stealing a blueberry from her plate with a mischievous wink. "There's no point in worrying about tomorrow when we could be living for today. Oh - and don't forget the fact that you're sitting there naked with just a sheet wrapped around you while your brother and childhood lover sleep not ten feet away from you." He dipped his fork in the left over cream on his plate and dolloped it on her nose before she could catch onto what he was doing. He pressed a sneaky kiss to her forehead before jumping up with his empty plate in hand.

Clary looked after him with a slightly offended expression, though it was entirely forced and just an attempt to make him feel bad. "Hey! Simon and I were not 'childhood lovers'." She rolled her eyes as she picked her own plate up, scraping the few last pieces of fruit into the bin before sliding next to him and placing it in the warm soapy water in the sink. "We were friends. Friends who just so happened to suffer from unrequited love." She caught Jace's raised eyebrows as he looked at her with scepticism. She opened her mouth and shook her head. "Him, obviously! He was in love with me - not the other way around. I love him, but like a puppy, not a boyfriend."

"Oh really?" He said with an air of disbelief as he finished cleaning up the dishes, placing it on the drying rack and wiping his hands on a tea towel. "What about me? Do you love _me_ like a puppy? Or like a boyfriend?"

"Hmm," she pretended to think as she pressed herself against him, gripping the sheets tightly in her hands as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, concealing them both underneath the fabric. "I love _you_ like an incredibly hot, and sexy, mysteriously brooding 19 year old who just so happens to be really good at kissing." She teased him with a small smile as she reached onto her tiptoes to kiss him longingly, their lips lingering as she pulled away.

"Is that the only thing I'm good at?" He asked quietly as his arms wrapped around her waist, his voice rough with desire as he looked down into her eyes.

She giggled, quickly shoving her hands against his chest to push herself out of his grip. "You're good at making pancakes."

"You little minx," he growled with a playful expression, chasing after her as she rounded the island. She was too fast and nimble for him, counteracting his every move each time he tried to grab her. When he went right, she went right, and when he went left, she went left.

Jace smirked deviously as he feigned right, watching Clary as she quickly darted in the other direction. He bounced back on the balls of his feet and went after her, wrapping his arms around her stomach from behind in two short strides. She squealed loudly in shock and surprise as her own arms wrapped around his, the floor disappearing beneath her feet as he pulled her into his embrace.

She flailed in his arms, using their combined momentum against him as she toppled them over onto the floor. She felt the fabric unravel around her as she landed, though she was too occupied with giggling and attempting to push Jace off her to care. He pinned her arms down to her side and ducked his head into the crook of her neck. He blew raspberries at the skin there, making her squeal and wriggle even more beneath her grip.

"Woah, Clary!" Jonathan's sharp shouts from above them alerted them both instantly, and Jace pulled back from her to look up at him. "Not exactly what your older brother wants to see early in the morning."

She looked down at herself to see what he meant, being confused when she only really saw her pale legs. The fabric had bunched around her torso and covered anything indecent, and besides, Jace was atop her anyway as he concealed most of her. "What's the big deal? I'm wearing a sheet!"

"Yeah, while rolling around on the floor with your half naked boyfriend." He rolled his eyes, gingerly stepping around them and walking into the kitchen. "Go put some clothes on, the pair of you. Just because I'm tolerable with your relationship doesn't mean I appreciate seeing my half naked sister on my living room floor."

Clary mimicked his eye rolling to a T as she patted Jace's chest, urging him to get off her. He chuckled as he sat back on his knees, in that moment seeing precisely how similar she was to her brother. He helped her up as well and ensured the fabric was secured around her body before slapping her playfully on the bottom to push her towards the bedroom. She jumped up with a shocked yelp, earning an embarrassed glare from her brother. She bit her lower lip awkwardly as she averted her gaze from his, shooting Jace daggers before turning away to make herself 'decent'.

* * *

The day of the ball came about sooner than expected, and the evening before Clary found herself stood facing the bed. There was a huge white box sat in the centre of it with pale pink ribbon flopping to the sides that was originally wrapped in a bow. Besides it sat a slightly smaller box that was square and grey.

She wrapped her arms around her torso as she just stared blankly at the pair, barely even hearing Jace come in from behind. He silently wrapped his arms around her waist, yet another large, dark blue box in his hands as he showed it to her. She groaned, throwing his arms off her and walking around to the other side of the bed with hands in her hair. "If you tell me that's another Angel-forsaken present for the ball tomorrow then you're sleeping on the floor."

His hopeful expression narrowed into one of hidden confusion, and he looked between the box and the girl stood in front of him. Hastily he hid it behind his back, despite the fact that it was still obviously protruding due to it's size. "No?"

She rolled her eyes, dropping dramatically to the bed so that she was laying besides the larger box, looking upside down at him. "Why is it always the girls who get presents before parties and events and balls? Why don't guys ever get smothered with gifts?"

"You can smother _me_ anytime you like." He wiggled his eyes suggestively, looming over her. He placed his box ontop of the large white one, before placing his hands on the bed either side of Clary's head. He lowered himself down so that the tips of their noses were touching, their faces upside down from each other. "What's got you so worked up?"

"I'm just worried for tomorrow." She sighed, shaking her head as she stretched up to wrap her hands around his wrists. "I don't know - I just have this nervous pit in my stomach. Like something's going to go wrong."

"Don't think like that," he hushed urgently, pressing a comforting kiss to her forehead. "You'll get yourself in a panic and make yourself sick. Just keep calm, and trust that we know what we're doing."

"Of course I trust you!" Clary placed her hands on either side of his cheeks, looking at him with a guilty frown. "I'm sorry. I love you."

He shook his head, grazing their noses against each other before leaning down and placing an upside down kiss to her lips. It was odd, and definitely not as comfortable as a normal kiss, but it was still romantic. Sort of like a Spiderman and Gwen Stacey moment, Clary thought. She was the damsel in distress and he was her saviour.

"I love you too, Clary." He whispered with a smile as he placed another small kiss to the tip of her nose, before pushing himself up to stand straight. He shifted the boxes on the bed to the side rather than the centre, so he could take a seat. "Now, are you gonna tell me what's in the boxes?"

Clary pulled herself up the bed so that she was sat opposite him and crossed her legs, pulling the boxes over to sit in front of her. She handed him the one he brought in, assuming he'd want to present it to her in her own way, before taking off the lid of the large white box.

All you could see was the bodice of a dress, a soft cream base colour. It had dominantly silver and the occasional gold decals decorating the entire piece, mirroring each side from the centre line with waves and pretty patterns. It had a very prominent sweetheart neckline that was also engulfed with silver sparkles. At the bottom, you could barely make out a small bit of chiffon fabric that was the same colour as the bodice.

"Wow." Jace breathed out in surprise, his eyebrows shooting up. He outstretched a hand to take the fabric, feeling it gingerly with his fingers, so careful that he was scared he'd ruin it from how beautiful and expensive it looked. He looked up at Clary with a simultaneous joking yet concerned expression. "Got a secret admirer that I should be worried about?"

She laughed softly with a shake of her head, placing the lid back on the box once Jace retracted his hand. It did look expensive, and she felt the urge to protect it with every inch of her being. "Don't be stupid - it's from my father. He wanted to make an obvious impression that I was still a Morgenstern. To scare Hodge and whoever else targets me; to show that I'm protected by one of the most powerful men in New York."

"It'll certainly do that." Jace nodded, picking up the smaller grey one. He held it cautiously, only imagining it was something equally as expensive and precious as the dress. "Is this from your dad as well?"

Clary shook her head with a fond smile, taking it out of his hands. She opened it up and looked at it admiringly. "It's from Jonathan. I'm pretty sure it took half of his trust fund to afford it, but he wouldn't let me refuse it."

Resting neatly atop the plush, deep purple fabric, sat the most extravagant necklace Jace had ever seen. It must have been embedded with at least two dozen dozen diamonds, each sat within their own metal casing. It was made so that the inside - the part directly around your neck - was a perfect circle, while the front dipped down into a soft 'V' shape. The centre diamond was much larger, but the surrounding ones blended it perfectly with the piece.

"Again - wow." Jace laughed, looking up at her with an incredulous expression. "I forget how rich you and your brother are. It's crazy to think he could afford something like this, and still have money left over."

"He's always been extra with his gifts for me." She smiled as she closed the box, placing it on the cabinet besides her bed. She shifted to the edge and grabbed the large box as well, gently shoving it underneath the bed where it would remain until tomorrow evening. "His younger sister and all that. He's always spoiled me rotten, and protected me from everything."

"I've noticed that." Jace nodded with an indifferent tone, though wasn't entirely unkind. "It's nice to see you two have such a close bond. I always wished I'd had a little sister to take care of, the way Jonathan does with you."

"You have Izzy." Clary pointed out as she scooted back into the middle of the bed, crossing her legs over as she faced Jace.

He rolled his eyes. "You know what I mean. Isabelle's a great sister and all, but she's Alec's _sister_ _._ If that even makes any sense."

She laughed softly, looking at him with a gently smile. She moved a hand to push some of his perfectly curled hair that had fallen into his eyes, back, and tucked it behind his ear. He caught her hand before she could retract it, turning his head and placing a soft kiss to her palm, all the while never losing eye contact with her.

Clary wrapped her fingers around his, and her eyes idly wandered to settle on the package she had brought in. She looked back up at him with her lips pressed into a tight line, a playful expression on her face. "So... Are you gonna let me see what's in the box?"

"I didn't think you wanted another gift." He retorted with a smirk, yet still reached behind him to grab the box and placed it in his lap.

"Okay," she rolled her eyes sarcastically. "Don't think of it as a gift then. Think of it as an item a boyfriend just so happened to find that he wanted to give his girlfriend."

He narrowed his eyes, and pretended to think for a moment. "That sounds like a gift to me."

"Shut up!" She laughed, shoving him playfully in the shoulder. He chuckled with her, before handing her the box.

Clary grinned like a child on Christmas morning as she placed it in her lap, casting one final glance to Jace before ravaging the box. She pulled the black ribbon, collapsing the bow, before unwinding it and opening up the lid. She placed the box in front of her and the lid on the floor, before removing the black packaged paper that covered the item. She gasped in surprise as she saw what was inside, her eyes darting between the gift-not-gift and Jace.

It was a stunning overbust corset in pale pink satin, with metallic French brocade detailing that stretched from either side of the sweetheart neckline down to a point at the bottom. The material behind the decal was fully lined with coutil, and the neckline had loops embroidered with lace. It was timeless, and utterly stunning.

With a hesitant hand, Clary reached into the box and picked up the small white card that was sat in the centre. On the front was the logo of the make - _Angela Friedman_ \- with 'XS, 22 Waist, 30 Bust' underneath. On the back, in Jace's gorgeously elegant cursive, was a note to her.

 _For your protection. I don't know if I could live with myself knowing you were vulnerable tomorrow._

 _Love, Jace._

She looked up at him with a curious tilt of her head, flipping the card around to show him what he wrote. "Protection?"

"It's bulletproof." He explained, picking up the neckline of the corset, guiding her hand to feel the fabric. It was thicker than it looked, and incredibly firm besides from just the boning. "When you said about wearing a dress, and not being able to wear a bulletproof vest, I got in contact with one of the best bulletproof designers in the country. He specially made this for me - for you. There's no way in hell I would of let you go to that ball tomorrow knowing you weren't properly protected."

"How did you even know my size?" She said in awe, her fingers still admiring the craftsmanship in the box.

Jace chuckled, looking up at her with a cheeky grin. "I kind of peaked through your wardrobe when you were showering one night. Wrote down all the measurements from different dresses and sent them to my guy."

She looked up at him in surprise but couldn't help the small giggle that came out. "So not only did you invade my wardrobe, but you sent my measurements to some random, sleazy guy in Montana?" She teased.

"Hey!" He looked offended as he packaged the box back up, swiftly tucking it under the bed before tackling Clary backwards. He engulfed her in his arms as she giggled. "First off, he's not sleazy, nor is he from Montana. California, actually, and he's a brilliant man."

"Sure." She continued, biting her lower lip.

"Secondly," he growled, ducking his head down and capturing her lower lip with his own teeth, prying hers away. "As your boyfriend, I think it's my right to rummage through your wardrobe. I like those black lacy panties, by the way."

She looked at him incredulously, shoving him away until she could straddle his waist. "You looked through my underwear drawer!?"

"No." He bit his tongue as he looked up at her with a lustful desire in his eyes. "But judging by your reaction you _do in fact_ have some black lacy panties. I'd love to see them." Before she could retaliate, he rolled them back over with a dominant growl as he buried his lips into the crook of her neck. She tilted her head back with a satisfied sigh, letting his hands roam her body freely...

* * *

Jace rolled over in his sleep with an outstretched arm, reaching for Clary. He frowned in his half-awake state as he was met with cold silk fabric, opening his eyes to see the other side of the bed was empty. He looked up at the clock on the side of the bed and saw it said 3.36am. He bolted upright almost immediately, fear and concern filling his entire being as he tried to think of where she could be.

The ensuite door was open, and the lights were off, so she wasn't there. The rest of the room was empty - she didn't typically wake up for midnight snacks, so that ruled out the kitchen. He threw the sheet off him and grabbed his sweatpants that had been discarded onto the bedroom floor during their earlier endeavors, heading to the bedroom door as he put a leg in each hole.

He was just pulling on a shirt when he crossed past the window, stopping in his tracks as he saw a figure outside. He squinted as his eyes adjust to the darkness outside, though the moonlight reflecting on the light colours made it bright enough so that he could clearly see everything. There was a figure hunched over by the water fountain, their legs brought up to the ledge as they held themself. He recognised the bright red hair instantly, and sighed in relief.

He grabbed his leather jacket from the seat in the corner of Clary's room, before rushing out of her bedroom as quickly and quietly as he could. He followed the same hallways he had weeks ago when he chased her into the back garden, thankful that he remembered the route without getting lost - the house was a maze, and the last thing he wanted to do was to be made a fool out of by walking into the wrong room. Angel knows what could be hidden behind any number of the unused doors.

The cold air hit him the moment he opened the back door, though it didn't bother Jace too much - he'd suffered in colder conditions. At least it was above freezing, he thought optimistically to himself as he walked across the grass towards where Clary was sat.

She was resting with her arms around her shins and her cheek pressed against her knees, looking in towards the fountain. He could see the repetitive, rhythmic rise and fall of her shoulders as she breathed, and he wondered for a moment if she'd fallen asleep. When he saw her move her head to shake some hair out of her face, he knew otherwise.

He slowly approached her from behind, pulling open the jacket he'd brought with him. Admittedly, since it was leather, it wasn't the warmest thing, but it was the only thing he'd brought with him to her father's house and just the first thing he grabbed. He gingerly wrapped it around her shoulders, making her jump up in surprise. Her head shot up instantly with fear in her eyes, before relaxing when she saw it was Jace.

"Sorry." He mumbled with a soft smile, moving to sit next to her bare feet. "I didn't mean to scare you." She still had her arms wrapped around herself, but she now sat up straight. As he placed a hand on her knee, he noticed she was dressed in just some flimsy blue sleep shorts and an equally as flimsy white tank top. He shifted them both so that they were sat besides each other on the marble ledge, wrapping his arms around her entire body as he tried to warm her bare legs up. "You must be freezing."

She shrugged as she put her small, dainty arms through the much too-large sleeves of his leather jacket. He watched as she pulled it tighter around herself, burying her body into his. "Honestly I went numb a little while ago. I barely feel the cold." Despite her words she found herself tucking her hands between their bodies, clearly warming herself up.

"How long have you been out here?"

She looked up to the sky for a moment, her eyes looking at the moon and the sky. "About two hours." She said decisively.

"You're crazy." He let out a breathy yet concerned laugh, pulling her closer to his body. He rubbed his hands up and down against her bare legs to warm her up. "What are you doing out here so late?"

"I couldn't sleep." She admitted in a quiet, thoughtful voice.

That made him laugh, a short, single chuckle. "Most people go on their phones or make a cup of tea when they can't sleep - not go outside and freeze themselves to death."

She was quiet for a moment, leaning her head against his chest as she continued to gaze up at the sky. He pressed a kiss to the side of her forehead, letting them both just revel in each others presence.

Eventually, she spoke. "What happens after the ball?" Jace looked down to gauge her expression, dissatisfied when he saw her eyes were closed in a peaceful, almost sleeping way. "Either everything goes right, or something goes wrong. What happens after whatever happens?"

"If everything goes to plan, then we'll go far away for a while." He said quietly, tightening his grip around her. "The moment Starkweather is locked up for good, I'll whisk you away, just the two of us. We'll have fun, meet new people, travel the world. Maybe Europe." He leaned his chin atop her head with a happy smile. "You'd like England."

"You've been?"

"Once." He nodded. "My first mission when I was 18 was to find some international drug dealer. He jumped about countries all the time, and nobody could ever track him down. I followed his every move, until eventually Alec and I caught him in a little city in England. Admittedly we were only there for three days, but from what I saw it was a beautiful place."

Clary wrapped her own arms around his as she settled further into his chest, humming contently. "It sounds nice... I was thinking Paris - city of Love, and beauty and art. Or maybe Russia - I heard it's gorgeous in the winter."

Jace chuckled softly, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "We'll go wherever you'd like. Money, seas, borders - nothing will stop us."

He felt her tense beneath him, and she adjusted herself impatiently in his grip. Once she was settled, he felt her grab the fabric at his chest nervously. "What about if something goes wrong?" She asked in an almost silent voice, being so quiet Jace had to strain to hear her.

"Nothing's going to go wrong, Clary." He whispered comfortingly to her, which clearly was the wrong thing to say as she darted up out of his grip.

"You don't know that, Jace!" She cried desperately, tears threatening to spill over her eyes. She gritted her teeth as she tried her best not to cry, tugging at the shirt he was wearing. "You don't know that. What if you get hurt, or Jonathan, or Alec - or me! What if somebody dies?"

"I won't let that happen." He growled passionately, cupping her face firmly as he forced her to look at him. "I'm not going to let anybody die, not today, not tomorrow, not ever." He shook her firmly as if trying to shake the message into her, his own tears brimming. "I care about you all too much to let anything happen to anybody. _You_ are my future, Clary, and I'll be damned if I ruin that by letting anything bad happen to any one of you."

"You can't save everyone, Jace." She smiled despite the tears, taking his hands away from her face to hold them instead. "You can't always be the hero. Sometimes you have to be the one being saved."

"Then you save me." He said breathlessly as he leaned forwards, pressing their foreheads together. He held her hands tightly in his as he closed his eyes, desperately holding himself together. He refused to let her see him as scared, or weak - he wouldn't do it. "You'll be my hero. We protect each other, okay?"

He felt a small hand on his cheek, and he opened his eyes to see Clary gazing deeply into them. He was transfixed by her stunning emerald eyes, the flecks of darker green shining in the soft moon light. He let his eyes search every inch of her face in painful detail, scared that it could be the last chance he ever had to take her in in her full glory. He memorised every inch of her, from the light scar on her cheek to the wrinkles in the centre of her lips, to the dimples on her chin. It was as if he was looking at her for the last time.

"I love you." Clary spluttered out through the tears as he placed his own hand over hers, watching her with heartbreak. "No matter what happens, I will always love you. Whether we have the next sixty years together, or just a few hours-" he shook his head desperately as his own tears spilled, refusing to believe her words for just a second. "I will always love you."

Jace choked back the tears and sniffed, forcing composure onto himself as he gazed down at her. "You, Miss Clarissa Adele Morgenstern, have changed my life so much. Seven weeks ago, I was assigned as your protector. Five weeks ago I realised I was falling in love with you, and from that day forward - from the day I allowed myself to love - I found myself changing into a person I never thought I could be.

"You taught me to care for people besides myself and my family. You taught me to fight for what I believed in, and you taught me that not everything is set in stone. We choose our own destiny, Clary... But most importantly, you taught me how to love again. You taught me how to love _you."_ Clary choked back another cry at that as a hopelessly devoted smile appeared on her lips, and she took in a deep breath.

"I love you so much, Clary. I will do everything in my power to protect you."

* * *

 _I'm not sorry for the happy-sad chapter! Also, next chapter begins the ball, so I hope you're all prepared. A lot of shit's gonna go down, and it's gonna be a couple of chapters long in total. Strap in and hold on tight, you're in for a wild ride!_


	29. A Good Day For a Ball

**Chapter Twenty Nine - A Good Day For a Ball**

 _This chapter has a lot of changing between character point of views, so just watch out for that! Each line break is a different point of view. Hope you enjoy!_

 _Chapter Songs;_

 _Scene One; All I Need - Within Temptation  
Scene Two; Fresh Pair Of Eyes - Brooke Waggoner  
Scene Three; The Second Waltz - Andre Rieu  
Scene Four; Passion And Danger - Michael Suby  
Scene Five; Comatose - Timmy Curran  
Scene Six; Passion And Danger - Michael Suby_

* * *

"How is she?"

It was the eve of the ball, and everybody was on edge as they skirted around the place putting together any finishing details. Alec, Jace, and Isabelle had been at the Morgenstern's Manor all morning to prepare for the evening's events - cameras in every corner, microphones in the most remote locations, recording devices around the entire house. The place was a James Bond's wet dream, loaded from tip to toe with the most high tech equipment that was a sure fire way to fulfil their mission.

Isabelle had equipped everyone - Clary, Jonathan, Jace, and Alec - with their own communications device, as well as the bulletproof jackets for the men. Jace and Alec were loaded to the nines with their Academy-issued weapons: handguns, grenades, knives. Alec had thought it was overkill, but Jace quickly whipped him into shape by scarring him with the thought about what could happen if they were just one weapon short. Unlikely to happen, but still entirely possible.

Now everyone stood at the bottom of the main spiral staircase - everyone except for Clary. Isabelle was near the door fitting the last of the spy cameras, while Alec fiddled with his communications device underneath his clothes. Jonathan descended the stairs after having checked on her to see if she was okay, only to be ambushed by an anxious Jace Herondale.

"She's fine. Nervous, but at least better than she was before." Jonathan told him truthfully, swallowing hard as he looked back up the stairs at where he left his baby sister. He hated seeing her so unsure of herself, and he wished there was something he could do to help her... But there wasn't. They just had to wait the evening out and hope for the best.

"Guests will be here in half an hour." Valentine's commanding voice came from behind, and Jace turned around to see him walking in from the direction of the ballroom as he buttoned up his suit jacket. He had a crystal clean white jacket on over the top of an equally as perfect white shirt, and form-fitting black dinner trousers. Unlike the rest of the men, he wore a black bow tie, which seemingly suited his personality and his outfit. "Where is Clarissa?"

Almost as if saying her name made her appear, the gentle clip, clip of heels could be heard from the top of the staircase. Immediately Jace spun around to look up at the noise, his breath catching in his throat as he looked at the maiden atop of it.

Her hair hung in perfect spirals behind her, with a braid decorating across the top of her neck. Her waves perfectly flowed into the cream bodice of her dress, enhancing her features there more prominently than usual. The dress itself was huge, especially compared to her tiny frame, the large ballgown seeming comedic if it wasn't for how utterly stunning she looked in it. The skirt was made from chiffon organza ruffles, beginning in a light cream colour at the hem of the bodice and gradually changing from a subtly sunset orange, to a pretty pale pink at the floor, the ombre effect shifting down the skirt as it got bigger.

She carefully made her way down the stairs by hovering one hand over the banister as she walked, a coy smile on her lips as she focused on the stairs in front of her rather than the gawking reaction she'd received from Jace, and undoubtedly everybody else in the room. When she finally arrives at the bottom of the stairs, her gait is halting, like there's something wrong. She's almost walking right, but there's something out of sync; perhaps one leg is stopping a little short or maybe going long, it's so hard to tell under the luxurious skirt she wears. Nevertheless it is elegant, and sophisticated. When she turns and faces Jace with a smile, all thoughts of inquiry flee. She isn't conventionally beautiful, but her beauty is timeless, and to Jace she is simply haunting.

Jace swallowed hard as he took a slow step towards her, until his legs were touching her poofy skirt. He outstretched a hand and placed it lightly on her waist, pulling her to him. "You look," he shook his head incredulously, at a complete loss for words. "No words can explain how utterly incredible you look." He dropped his voice low, so only she could hear, and used his other hand to cup her cheek. "I swear, the moment this night is over I'm going to take you somewhere far, far away, and completely and utterly ravage you until there is no doubt in my mind that you belong to me."

He heard her breath catch at his words, and a gentle blush decorated her cheeks. She closed her eyes and bit her lower lip, and Jace knew that she was imagining what he'd just said. He smirked devilishly at her, leaning down to press a soft yet passionate kiss to her lips. He lingered as he pulled away, wanting more, but knowing he had to control himself in front of other people.

"Clary!" Jace growled in complaint as Isabelle's voice interrupted their moment, and he reluctantly let Clary go though kept his hand wound around her waist as he turned to face his sister. Unlike everybody else, she wasn't dressed in a formal outfit, being more 'practical' - as practical as Izzy could dress - in leather pants and a leather corset-styled shirt with a golden zipper on the front. In her four inch heels she looked majestic and deadly, and completely fitting to her. "Here. I'm putting these on everybody's outfits."

In her hands was a small circular device, a little bigger than a penny. "It's a tracking device." She explained, picking it from her palm and fitting it to the inside of Clary's bodice. "Either Alec or Jace will be on you at all times, but we've got these just in case anything goes wrong and we lose you."

Clary nodded as she inhaled a shaky breath, watching Isabelle walk away once again as Jace turned his attention to her. "Everything seems so real now." She whispered to nobody in particular, swallowing hard to wet her incredibly dry throat. "There's no going back."

* * *

"Hodge Starkweather driving through the gates now." Isabelle's voice came through the earpiece, making Clary jump slightly. Jace tightened his grip around her reassuringly, having heard the same message through his own.

It was 6.45pm, and guests had been arriving to the party for the past twenty minutes. Clary and Jace were stood in the main lobby by the front door alongside her brother and their father, greeting guests as they came through. Enzo, the family's main butler, was outside taking people's car keys and guiding them inside. Each time somebody came through, Clary forced on a smile and a polite greeting, fighting against every inch of her terrified little body.

A minute or so later, Starkweather walked through the door with his wife on his arm. He wore a full, smart dinner suit, waist coat and all, with a matching black bow tie to Clary's father. His wife wore an elegant apricot coloured dress that reached the floor, a sleeveless, low-back gown that had a thick waistband with matching peach roses on it. It suited her tan complexion well, and her dark brown hair was up in a sophisticated bun with her fringe swept out of her hair.

"Hodge!" Clary's father greeted cheerfully, naturally, as he stepped forwards with a wide embrace. They took each other in a brotherly embrace while Jonathan stepped forwards to greet his wife. He shook her hand and placed a kiss on each cheek in a gentlemanly manner, before she moved on to Clary.

"Don't you look simply stunning!" She greeted warmly as she took both of Clary's hands in her own, and she couldn't help but giggle. She'd always thought Mrs Starkweather to be a wonderful woman, having treated her like a daughter since the death of her mother. She was kind, and gentle, and Clary couldn't see why she'd be with a man like Hodge.

"You too, Mrs Starkweather." Clary smiled, hugging her gently before wrapping her arm back around Jace. "Meet my boyfriend, Jonathan Herondale."

"Jace, please." He held out a hand for her to shake with an award winning smile. "Pleasure to meet you."

"Ah, Clary. Jace." Starkweather approached from behind his wife, placing commanding hands on her arms as he looked over her shoulder to peer at the two. "What a pleasure to see you again."

Jace's arm tightened around Clary once again, and she placed a calming hand over his at her waist to reassure him. "You too, Hodge. I hope you have a wonderful evening." She forced on a tight smile as he nodded, taking his wife's hand before making their way through to the main ballroom.

Clary let out a breath she didn't realise she was holding once they were gone, falling back into Jace's chest. He wrapped both arms around her and pressed a comforting kiss to her temple. "Not too long now." He whispered, running a hand across her torso suggestively. Clary blushed at his words, as well as at the thought that Jonathan, Alec, and Isabelle all heard his words through the intercom - though, thankfully, they weren't able to see his movements, so they could appear innocently enough.

A group of Clary's friends came through next, and she let out a wide grin upon seeing them. Magnus came through first in a suave paisley-styled suit, the greyish fabric having patterned swirls throughout the jacket. It had thick black lining across the lapel, and a matching swirled bow tie. His eyes flickered instantly to Clary, and he made his way over to her in a few short strides.

"Don't you look utterly ravishing." He beamed, placing his hands on her hips and leaning down to place a kiss on each cheek. "And I wasn't even here to do it myself!"

Clary giggled, shoving him playfully before pulling him back in for a warm hug. "I wasn't sure if you'd make it." She confessed in his ear before pulling away, keeping her hands gripped to the lapel of his jacket.

"Of course I'd make it." He tapped her nose teasingly. "I wouldn't miss my little Biscuit's party for the world."

Simon and Maia had also come in just behind him, and they spoke for a short while. Apparently Simon had asked Izzy to be his date for the ball, but she said she was busy with urgent work stuff. She had to stifle a laugh at that, knowing full well that, while she was working, she was just on the floor above, hidden away in Clary's bedroom.

"Clarissa." Valentine interrupted their conversation, and she looked up in surprise at her father. "It's time to head into the ballroom. Please, escort your friends as well." Clary nodded politely, nodding in the direction of the ballroom for Simon and Maia's sake as they headed in that direction. Jace kept his arm tightly wound around her waist all the while, pulling her body close against his.

Simon and Maia disappeared to get some drinks, and Magnus immediately made a beeline for where Alec was already stood on the outskirts of the room, regularly scanning the place for anything suspicious. Jace and Clary slowly wandered their way around the room on their own for a few minutes, before a loud clinking sound echoed through the room.

Everyone stopped their conversing and their drinking and turned to the front of the room, where Valentine stood holding a half-empty glass of red wine and a fork. He was stood on a stage where the live band were, who had also ceased their music. "First off, I'd like to thank all of you for coming here tonight. This ball is in memory of my wife, Jocelyn Morgenstern, who passed away a few short years ago." Everyone was silent for a moment, and Clary turned herself into Jace's body to rest her head on his chest.

"I'd like to start off the evening with the traditional Morgenstern Waltz. Typically this would be danced with my wife, however my business partner's wife, Mrs Lucilla Starkweather, has offered to step in for this evening. Please, if you'd like to clear the dance floor while my family joins me."

* * *

The music filled her ears, the full orchestra to the side of the room engulfing the place with violins as the piece came to a slow start. Jonathan wrapped a hand around Clary to place it on her upper back while she placed hers on his shoulder, before he took her other hand and outstretched it to the side. "Been a while since we did this, right little sis?"

Clary laughed as the alto saxophone took the lead in the piece of music, the oh-so-familiar tune that she'd memorised like the back of her hand flowing around her as she and Jonathan began to dance. "Two years, to be precise." He wrapped both arms around her back and lifted her up into a spin, Clary arching herself backwards. He lowered her back to her feet and regained their previous hold with a small smile. "It does feel weird to be doing this without Mom, though."

Jonathan began leading her backwards in a quick pace, turning them both around all the while they went. Out of the corner of Clary's eyes, she could occasionally see her father and Starkweather's wife doing the exact same, and she felt that odd feeling in her stomach that made her feel like it was wrong to be doing this without her mother.

"It's what she would have wanted." Jonathan said quietly as he dipped her down, before lifting her into an elegant twirl that sent her skirt flying around her. "She wouldn't want us to stop living our lives just because she wasn't here anymore. You know that's what she'd say."

He twirled her again and let her go so she could spin outwards, before neatly skipping across to her to wrap his arm around her stomach as she did the same with him. They were facing each other once again, but to the side of each other, as they turned around with Clary now leading. "To be honest, I don't really know what she'd say anymore. It's like I have no idea who she was."

Jonathan twirled Clary around several times before she stretched away theatrically, pulling her back in only to push her to his other side. She spun out and away from Jonathan, again her skirt billowing beautifully around her as he chased her across the floor, twirling the final few spins in time before capturing her hand in his and pulling her towards him.

"Don't say that," he quietly scolded as he turned her around so her back was now pressed against his front, and they danced their way forwards. "Just because she kept the fact she was an agent for the government, doesn't change who she was as a person. To be honest with you, I'm not sure if I'd of survived father's torture if she hadn't been there."

He took her hand and spun her around again until they were facing each other in their first ballroom hold. Jonathan continued to lead, guiding her backwards as they danced. "What kind of mother keeps a secret like that from her kids?" Clary said harshly, though deep down she knew she didn't mean it. "Most family secrets are 'sorry, I ate the last cookie'. Why does ours have to be 'sorry, I was a Secret Agent in which I protected your father and killed bad guys'?!"

"Because we're Morgensterns." Jonathan laughed simply, as if that explained everything. "Our whole life is a fuckshow. You'd think you'd of realised that by now."

"Don't worry, I've realised." Clary shot back sarcastically with a glimpse over Jonathan's shoulder to the crowd. Jace was stood there besides Alec, talking in a hushed way that looked oddly suspicious. She frowned at the sight, before her view was quickly cut off by Jonathan spinning them around several times and guiding them to the other side of the room. "Given everything that's happening here tonight, you seem oddly calm."

"I am calm." Jonathan admitted plainly, looking down at his little sister with a small smile. "I have to be calm. For you." He must have caught her confused expression, because he laughed slightly. "I knew you'd be frantic and falling apart, and the way you cope is by drawing your strength from me. If I'm not calm, then you'd crumble."

"That's not entirely true." Clary frowned as they tilted either side, dancing flawlessly across the room. "I'm not entirely weak."

"I'm not saying you're weak," he counteracted as he took both her hands in his, pulling away from each other before using their momentum to bring them forwards. Jonathan raised his arm and Clary spun underneath him, ending up on the opposite side they'd originally been on as they stretched away from each other. Jonathan walked backwards and wrapped Clary's own arm around her neck before dropping it, spinning around so his back was facing her front. He took her hand and turned so they were besides each other facing one another, one hand holding hers behind his back while the other was behind hers. "I'm just saying that we rely on each other. That's how it's always been."

Clary looked him dead in the eye as they walked backwards then forwards, backwards then forwards, before Jonathan spun them both around until they were facing each other like normal once again. The music slowed down, and she knew she wouldn't be able to say much else as the siblings pulled away from each other. Clary spun around as she traversed across the floor, only to be caught in the embrace of her father.

"You and Jonathan seemed awfully chatty." He said observantly as he began guiding Clary backwards. His tone wasn't upset like she'd assumed it would be, since he was very strong on upholding tradition and being perfect during the Morgenstern Waltz. She was pleasantly surprised.

"We were just reminiscing about mother." She explained while they danced, turning with each step and tilting their outstretched, intertwined arms up and down with each move. "It's been two years since we've done this dance, and it felt odd without her."

"Yes, well, it's what she would have wanted."

Clary laughed as they made their way around the corner of the dance floor. "That's exactly what Jonathan said. You two are so alike."

"And you are so much like your mother." He said almost nostalgically as they stepped from side to side several times, Valentine spinning his daughter around before continuing to dance around the room. "I wanted to use this as an opportunity to apologise for all those years you were here. I know I wasn't the best father, and for that I am deeply sorry."

Clary broke focus for a second and stumbled in her steps, her father having to quickly correct her with a spin as she looked up at him in surprise. She stumbled with her words and swallowed hard. "I-uh. Wow, I didn't really expect that. I don't know what to say."

Valentine dipped her downwards before bringing her back up, the pair of them twirling together in their hold on the spot. "You don't have to say anything. Please, Clarissa - just think about my apology. I want to be a part of your life again, but I don't want to force myself upon you. Seeing the girl you've grown to be these past few weeks have made me realise just how much I've missed in your life, and similarly with your brother."

Valentine spun Clary around so that her back was to his front as he seamlessly guided them backwards, turning around the dance floor as they danced. Clary looked blankly ahead, a mask of confusion on her face as she took in her father's words. "I appreciate it. I do. You just caught me off guard. I want to forgive you - you're my father. But I need time."

Clary spun out of his arms as they took each others hands, stretching away from each other before pulling back in to hold both hands, repeating the same move a second time before Valentine twirled Clary back into a close ballroom hold. "Then don't." He said calmly, genuinely, as he looked down at his daughter. "I want your response to be genuine. I want you to forgive me because you want to forgive me, not just because I'm your father."

The pair of them were silent for a while as they focused on dancing, gliding expertly across the dance floor as if they'd been doing it their entire lives - which, in reality, they kind of had. Thoughts were flying around Clary's mind as she tried to take everything in, her focus being unnaturally divided between the dance, Jace, and her father's words, all slowly becoming too much for her.

She shook her head out during a moments pause in the music, taking a deep breath as she came back into her father's steady grip. "I want you to know that, whatever happens tonight, you will always be my daughter, and although I haven't always shown it, I have always loved you."

"Why are you saying that?" Clary furrowed her brows as she looked up at her father. "You say that like it's a goodbye."

"It's not," he corrected himself as he spun Clary around underneath his arm, pulling her back as they passed where Lucilla and Jonathan were dancing together. "But there is the possibility that something will happen, and this will be goodbye."

"Don't say it." She said firmly through a choked voice. "Don't you dare say it - I'm not letting anybody say goodbye, not tonight."

"Clary-" Valentine looked at her with a desperately sad expression as the music slowed down, and she spun out of his grip. This time Jonathan's hands caught her, and she sighed in relief at the different comfort surrounding her.

He looked at her with a peculiar expression. "Something happen with father?"

"Kind of." She shook her head dismissively. "He was just... acting sketchy."

"He always is." He sighed heavily in slight disappointment as he spun Clary around in his arms, gazing off into the distant.

The dance was quickly coming to an end, and neither of the siblings said anything for the duration of the dance as they continued to make their way across the room. Clary had always thought dancing with Jonathan had been much better than dancing with her father, even as a child. He was better at it, for one, and people had always complimented the siblings on how beautiful they looked together on the dance floor. It was a nice compliment to receive on any occasion.

Clary turned away from Jonathan only to be pulled back into his embrace. She tensed up her stomach as his hands went to her waist, lifting her high off the ground and above his head with a straight-arm hold. She placed her hands on his shoulders to brace herself, grinning down at her brother. This had always been their favourite move, and the claps and cheers around them only strengthened that love for it. He slowly lowered her down to the floor, only to spin her across his front and dip her down as low as he could reach, the orchestra making a very prominent final note.

The room around them erupted into applause, and Jonathan graciously raised Clary upright onto her feet. She laughed, genuinely laughed, at the sensation she felt as Jonathan took her hand, guiding her to the centre of the room. From the other side, Elena and Valentine made their way across to stand besides them. Still holding Jonathan's hand, Clary lifted one side of her skirt up and curtseyed to the crowd alongside Starkweather's wife, while he and Valentine bowed.

She was still smiling as he guided her off the floor and into the crowd. Jace was stood near the front with a proud grin on his face, opening his arms for her. She immediately complied, wrapping her arms around his neck as he placed his own around her waist. "You were incredible out there." He murmured, giving her a soft kiss. "Truly incredible."

Clary's hand skirted up the back of his neck to intertwine within his hair as she stroked there. "Thank you." She smiled, leaning into his touch. "Where did Alec go? I saw you talking to him during the dance."

"Isabelle called him up." He said evasively, and Clary narrowed her eyes.

"Is something wrong?"

"Everything's fine."

* * *

"Something's wrong." Isabelle frowned, her brows knitted into a tight line as she looked at the numerous screens in front of her.

She was hidden away up in Clary's bedroom with all the surveillance equipment she needed. She'd set everything up on Clary's floor so that she had enough space, and was sat in front of it all cross-legged. Her communications system was to her left, and the cameras and controls were to her right, and the screen showing the tracking devices placed on everyone was front and centre, each person being given a number so she could easily track where each person was in the house.

Alec was kneeling behind her and peering over her shoulder at the screens in front of her, slightly confused at what he was looking at. Izzy had turned off his communications device when he entered, so that Jace, Clary, nor Jonathan could overhear their conversation - she didn't want them to worry. His sister looked back at him with an incredulous stare, as if it should be obvious. "The cameras on the roof!" She pointed to the ones she was talking about, lightly smacking him on the side of the head. "They're repeating themselves. Somebody's hacked into our system."

"What are you talking about?" Alec looked at her, before focusing in on the cameras, watching one in particular. It was one that showed the entrance to the roof - blue double doors hidden against three brick walls protruding out from the floor. The time on the bottom seemed to be running as normal, only adding to his confusion. "I don't see it."

"Look here," she pointed to the outer corner, slightly in front of the door. It was empty for a moment, before a rogue pigeon scurried past with a bit of bread in its mouth. "There!" She said energetically just as it went out of frame. Alec looked at her with a raised eyebrow, clearly concerned for her well being. She glared at him, and to save himself from another smack, he looked back at the camera. There was nothing, for almost twenty seconds, until a pigeon scurried past with a bit of bread in its mouth... again.

"It's the same pigeon." Isabelle explained, looking up at him. "Same green around the neck, same black patch on the wing, and the exact same bit of bread." He looked up in realisation at her words. "Someone's hacked into the system and put the same twenty seconds footage on a loop. The exact same thing's happened to the other two cameras up there. Something's wrong, Alec, and you need to find out what it is."

* * *

"Go find Jonathan." Isabelle's voice came through Clary's communications device, making her jump slightly. Jace's arms wound around her waist tightened with a soft chuckle, and he leaned down to press a kiss to the side of her head.

"You got that as well, then?" He teased, releasing his grip around her to take her hand instead. Clary rolled her eyes at him and pushed his chest playfully, before heading over towards the drinks stand where she'd last seen her brother talking to Simon.

Sure enough, there he was, a drink in his hand and some pretty dumb blonde in front of him. Clary cleared her throat pointedly once she was near, getting the attention of both of them from where they sleazily leaned up against the wall. The girl - surprisingly shorter than Clary, with caked on makeup and one eyelash falling off - turned to give her an incredulously filthy look. "Can I help you?" She whined with a scratchy voice.

"Yes, actually." Clary smiled politely, fluttering her eyelashes. "I'd like to talk to my brother. _So move._ " She reached past the girl and yanked on Jonathan's arm, forcing him to walk with her whether he wanted to or not. She shoved him in front of her slightly as she walked away, Jace still at her side, Jonathan in front.

"Mind telling me why my little sister completely just cock-blocked me?" Jonathan said not unkindly, but clearly still irritated. Clary slapped him on the back of his head and he winced in surprise as they came to a stop near the back of the room, turning around to shoot her daggers. " _What?"_

"I don't know." Clary said simply with a shrug. "Isabelle told Jace and I to get you with us. She didn't say why, but it sounded pretty urgent." Just at that moment, a loud noise sounded throughout the room that was clearly calling for silence.

She spun around to find the source of the noise as everybody in the room went quiet, the orchestra fading to a stop as the dancers slowed to a halt. Her father was up on the stage once again, a small smile on his face and a glass of wine in his hand as he paced up and down the stand. Clary could almost see the cogs turning in his head as he stopped in his tracks, taking a deep breath before looking up at the room of people.

"Usually at this part of the evening, my wife would say a few words about what this ball means to her. These events were always her idea, and it gave her any opportunity to spread the love and get involved in the community. That's why we always held it on her birthday." He smiled to himself as he looked down at his glass, swirling it about slightly as he paused.

"Not only is tonight a celebration in honour of my late and great wife, but it's also a welcome home party to my very own." His eyes scanned the crowd frantically until finally settling on where Clary and Jonathan stood near the back. He dipped his head formally and raised his wine glass in their direction. "Jonathan and Clarissa, after so long away from home, somehow you've found it in your hearts to give your old man another chance, and for that I thank you. To family!" He cheered, looking around the rest of the crowd.

Everybody cheered alongside him, raising their own glass, and even Clary smiled as she watched her father. He fixated his gaze with hers as he took a sip of wine, a genuine smile plastered on his face.

Out of nowhere, a sharp tinny sound sounded in the air, and chaos ensued. Clary's gaze was focused on her father's as his smile faded into horror, the glass falling from his hand and his body falling limply to the floor. She screamed, wrenching herself out of Jace's tight grip on her arm. She picked up her skirt and ran as fast as she could through the crowd towards her father, ignoring the panicked partygoers rushing and pushing past her in the opposite direction for the exit.

She shoved past one final woman and froze on the spot as she saw her father's body on the floor, a steady pool of red liquid surrounding his head and shoulders. "No," she choked out as the tears instinctively began to flow, and she collapsed next to his body. "No, please!" The fresh bullet wound sat right in the centre of his forehead, the near perfect circle of the entrance wound being surrounded by blood and his torn open skin. His eyes were open, looking blankly above him, all trace of life behind them gone before she'd even arrived.

Clary felt comforting hands around her arms that tried to pry her away, but she fought against them as she clutched to her father's suit jacket. She heard someone saying something behind her. She didn't know what. "I'm sorry," she sobbed hopelessly into his chest, clenching her hands into fists at the fabric as if clinging to his last living essence. "I'm sorry for leaving, I'm sorry for arguing, I'm sorry for not forgiving you... I forgive you!" She lifted her head up to look at his face, tears staining her cheeks and running down her neck. "I forgive you."

Her hand was shaking as she hovered over his face, slowly closing his eyes respectively. "Clary," it was Alec's urgent voice that she finally heard from behind, and she presumed it was him who was tugging on her arm as well. "Clary, we need to get you and Jonathan out of here."

She let herself be pulled to her feet by somebody on either arm, stumbling to stand up straight as she refused to look away from where her father lay lifeless on the floor. Arms wrapped around her and she let them engulf her as she clung to them and buried her face into their chest. "Shh," the familiar voice of her brother whispered into her ear as a soothing hand stroked down her curls. "You're gonna be okay. Everything's gonna be okay."

"I promised nobody was gonna die." Clary sobbed against his chest hitting her fists lightly. "I promised!"

"That wasn't your promise to make," he cooed reassuringly to her. "You can't promise what you can't control."

"Jonathan," Alec spoke from behind, though Clary couldn't see what was happening. She felt her brother shift slightly, and she pulled back to look up at him.

He gave her a small smile, lifting a hand to wipe the tears at her cheekbones. "Hey, you." He whispered to her, pressing his lips into a tight line to hold back whatever it was he wanted to say. "We really need to get going. Whoever killed our father is still out there, and if they're working for Starkweather then we need to get out of there."

Clary swallowed back the lump in her throat and nodded, standing up straight as she wiped away the last of the tears on her face. She took in a deep breath and allowed the cool air to calm her down, knowing there would be time to cry later. Right now, there was business to be done. She put on a brave face, and Jonathan smiled, hugging his little sister tightly. "There's my girl."

As Alec guided both Clary and Jonathan out through the back entrance of the mansion, she found herself looking around in slight confusion. "Where's Jace?"

* * *

Jace took out the small hand held device he had hidden in his pocket, looking at the pale green blip on the screen flashing occasionally. He scowled at what he saw, looking up at the door in front of him that lead to the roof.

He shoved the device back in his pocket and withdrew his gun from the back of his waist band, opening up the door and slowly creeping up the stairs. He kept his back tight to the wall and flickered his focus between in front of him and at the foot of the stairs, making sure to check all angles for any attackers.

Pushing open the door slowly with his gun raised behind it, he glanced around the place immediately. It was dark outside, but the moonlight illuminated enough of the place that it wasn't too difficult for him to see. He heard a noise behind him and quickly spun around with his gun raised to eye level.

"I don't know about you, but I'm too tired for this bullshit." He spat as he stepped forwards warily, continuously checking besides and behind him as he approached. "This gun's been digging into my back all night, I've been forced to socialise with elitist business men and woman, and I'd much rather be downstairs with my girl than up here hunting you down. So come out with any weapons drawn, and we won't have any trouble."

He paused for a moment as he waited for a reaction, slightly disappointed when nobody gave a response. He shifted his grip to hover his finger over the trigger and stepped forwards as he braced himself. Instinctively he spun on his heels and gave a confident smirk when the barrel of his gun met with a familiar face.

"Miss me?"

* * *

 _#Sorrynotsorry for the cliffhanger. Sorry for not posting this sooner, I've been very busy with rehearsals for my drama exam._

 _*ATTENTION* I will not be posting until I get 10 reviews on this chapter. You may think it is unfair, however this story 200-300 views a day and yet barely gets one review per chapter. It's pretty demotivating, and I find myself forcing myself to write sometimes when it comes to this story because I feel like nobody even cares anymore. I won't be completely abandoning it, because I do care for this fanfic, however I would like to see a lot more involvement before I post again._

 _Until then._


	30. Breath of the Dying

**Chapter Thirty - Breath of the Dying**

 _Thank you all for the wonderful love and support you've given me and this story since my previous notice. For those asking, my mother was admitted to hospital Wednesday 21st after being in severe agony for well over three months. The following day they discovered she had a cluster of abscesses on her left ovary, and since then has been going in for several more scans and tests to check for any other infections and such. She is still in the hospital currently, however we and the doctors hope to have her home by the weekend. Again, thank you all so much for your prayers and well wishes, and understanding of my absence. It means a lot to me._

 _Now, enough chatter - I've tortured you long enough with that dreadful cliffhanger. Let's get some answers! I hope you enjoy chapter thirty of Protocol. Much like the last chapter, there will be a few changes of viewpoint, so watch out for that._

 _Chapter Songs;_

 _Scene One; A's Lair - Michael Suby [Pretty Little Liars OST]  
Scene Two; A's Lair - Michael Suby [Pretty Little Liars OST]  
Scene Three; I Ran - Hidden Citizens  
Scene Four; Fresh Pair Of Eyes - Brooke Waggoner  
Scene Five; Everything Is Lost - Maggie Eckford_

* * *

"Miss me?"

"You know, I can't say I have." Jace smirked at the boy in front of him, his eyes darting downwards momentarily to see the gun pointed at his chest. He chuckled slightly and looked back up at the boy with a slight smirk. "You really think I'd be stupid enough not to wear a bulletproof vest, Sebastian?"

Sebastian pressed his lips into a tight line as he tried to hide the smile on his lips, tilting his head curiously to the side. "Of course not. But I figured, one shot to the chest would knock you on your ass, distract you momentarily. That would be more than enough time to put a bullet in your head."

"What makes you think you're a faster shot than me?" Jace wiggled his finger pointedly which hovered over the trigger of his gun, raising his eyebrow questioningly. "I shoot first and you're dead in an instant."

"But I've got leverage." He scoffed in a knowing tone, and Jace narrowed his eyes curiously at the boy. "Do _you_?"

* * *

Alec quickly rushed through towards the back of the mansion slightly in front of Clary and Jonathan, his gun drawn as he insisted they all stay pressed up against the wall so his body was shielding theirs from any attackers. Clary was in the middle, her own arms wrapped around herself to keep her from falling apart as she followed Alec's every command and every move. She felt her brother's comforting hand press against her back every so often to reassure her that he was there, which did give her some sort of relief.

Suddenly Alec stopped, causing Clary to bump into him with a small squeal. He turned around and hushed her urgently, slowly turning back around to face the front again. "Stay here." He whispered back to the siblings, slowly inching his way forwards. She leaned back into Jonathan for protection, her breathing erratic and her hands shaking as she watched the boy search into the unknown.

They were in a hallway in which the end lead to the back garden, though there was a door halfway down which lead to part of the servant's quarters. The kitchen, if Clary's memory served her right. The side wall was covered in floor-to-ceiling windows out of which you could see the garden lightly illuminated by blueish lights. The main lights inside the hallway were off, though the lanterns on the wall were lit which gave a gentle glowing hue to the room.

Clary held her breath as Alec stopped directly in front of the door, his posture straightening slightly as he shifted to stand on the other side of the door. He looked up to the siblings and held a finger to his lips, reiterating the need to be quiet, before slowly lowering his hand to the door handle.

The moment his finger touched the golden metal, the door came flying open, and out barreled a tall, withered man who appeared to be thin and weak. Though he proved himself otherwise as he football-checked Alec to the ground, knocking the gun clean out of his hand. Jonathan grabbed Clary's arms fiercely and shoved her behind him, before running towards where the other boy was being attacked.

"Jonathan, no!" She screamed as she outstretched a hand to stop him, all prior incentive to being quiet having gone out the window. Her brother made a bee line straight for the gun Alec had dropped while the attacker was preoccupied with the boy on the floor. Alec used his body weight to roll over the man on top of him so that he had the upper hand, effectively pressing all his weight down to pin him.

"Jonathan! Throw me the gun!" He shouted, using his elbow to pin the man's shoulder down while raising his hand. Jonathan did as he was told, tossing it perfectly over to him. He caught it swiftly, leaning up and pressing the gun to the man's forehead before pulling the trigger in an instant.

At the same time as the bullet sound echoed throughout the hallway, a hand wrapped around her mouth and an arm around her chest. She screamed in fear as she gripped and tore at the person's arm around her chest, though both the bullet and the fabric of her attacker's gloves muffled her cries. The arm around her disappeared momentarily, only to hit her sharply in the head with something blunt. Her cries were cut short as the world around her went black.

* * *

"What are you talking about?" Jace readjusted his faltering grip on his gun, clenching his teeth together as he stared down the boy in front of him. "What sort of leverage?"

"Take a look for yourself." Sebastian smirked, lowering his gun and stepping to the side for him to see.

A man appeared, a tall, burly man at about 6ft 4, with a heavy duty leather jacket on and a mop of reddish-brown hair framing his face. In his arms was a semi-conscious figure, one that Jace would recognise anywhere. He had one arm wrapped around her front to keep her supported while she gripped loosely at him, a gun in his other hand pressed to her temple. She already had blood there that was running into her tangled and knotted red hair. "Clary."

Jace lowered his gun to his side and instantly started towards her, only to be cut short by Sebastian leaping in front of him once again with his gun raised. "Nuh-uh-uhhh," he grinned sadistically in a sing song voice, using the barrel of his gun to push Jace further away by pressing it against his chest. "I'm afraid you don't get to go near her. Not yet, at least... Samuel -" he glanced over his shoulder at the man holding Clary. "Where is Emil with the brother?"

"The Lightwood Agent got to him." The burly man replied in a deep voice. "I managed to snatch the girl without anybody noticing."

"Isn't it embarrassing?" Jace interrupted as he narrowed his eyes at the black-haired boy. "Having a girl reject you so badly that you feel the need to kidnap her just to have your w-" his insult was cut short as Sebastian slapped him across the face with his gun, knocking him sideways onto the floor. Jace chuckled to himself as he lifted his body up off the floor, his gaze never leaving Sebastian's.

"I never cared about that." Sebastian spat incredulously, the gun pointed at Jace while his other arm flailed about animatedly as he spoke. "Clarissa means _nothing_ to me. I was just using her per Starkweather's orders. She was the easy type, you know? I was already friends with her brother when Hodge hired me, so getting to her was easy enough."

He began to circle Jace with the gun still steady in his grip, his gaze never leaving his still body. Jace, however, was constantly flicking between Sebastian and his girl that was slowly beginning to comprehend what was going on. Whatever the man had done to her seemed to be wearing off, the fear in her eyes and the straightening of her posture showing that. He desperately tried to communicate with her through only his eyes, trying to reassure her that everything would be okay and that he'd get them out of this mess.

"Twice I almost had her, and twice you interrupted." Sebastian continued, circling back to in front of Jace. "Outside Taki's - I heard your footsteps coming, so I got out of there as soon as I could. At that party - I would of _had_ _her_ if you hadn't interrupted. Then there would be one less Morgenstern in the world, and Starkweather would be one step closer to getting what is rightfully his."

"Why do you care about Starkweather getting the Morgenstern money?" Jace looked at him incredulously. "It's not like you're getting anything out of it."

"Oh, little Herondale, that's where you're wrong." He smirked knowingly. "Starkweather wants to start a new empire, built on the foundation of Starkweather Enterprises. One without entitled little Morgensterns getting in the way of everything, and one that is _so_ much more rewarding. Business so brilliant, and so hidden, even you a _gents_ can't meddle in it. And we, as his loyal followers, get to be a part of this new business."

"You mean mob-ring, right? Because that's what it sounds like." He retorted snarkily. "Illegal dealings, international connections. Sure, it's more money, but then you'll be forever on the run from the Government. Is that what you really want? At just 19 years old?"

"I was orphaned at three," Sebastian scoffed, stepping forwards to press the gun beneath Jace's chin. "Taken into a life of crime at fourteen, forced to hide under a new name at sixteen. I've already been on the run from the police for three years - what's another life time? At least this time I'll get something out of it."

"And yet you'll still be the same person you are now." Jace said almost sadly, looking down between the gun and Sebastian's curious expression. "Sad, desperate, and alone. Glad I'm not in your shoes."

Jace dropped the gun he was holding and swiped his left hand for Sebastian's, gripping the barrel and ducking to the side as Sebastian tried to shoot him. He pulled Sebastian to him, kneeing him several times in the stomach until his grip loosened enough on the gun for Jace to yank it out of his hand. He kicked him down to the floor, standing directly over his coughing body with the gun aimed perfectly for his face.

Sebastian looked up desperately at him, his whole body shaking with fear as he swallowed hard. Jace chuckled humourlessly, turning his head slightly to click his neck. "Ple-" he started, but was cut short as Jace emptied the chamber of his gun into his head. Sebastian's body flinched back violently, his head hitting the cement floor with a crack as the rest of his body went limp.

Jace let out a breathe he didn't realise he was holding, looking up in the direction of where Clary was. The man holding her through her ruthlessly to the floor, sprinting towards him with his gun pointed towards Jace. He let off two shots straight for him, but Jace was quicker as he dove to his right away from the bullets.

"Come to tango, big guy?" He smirked cockily as he rolled back up onto his feet, turning to circle the man with his gun poised readily at his hip. "What, the party downstairs not good enough for you?"

"I can't wait to be the one to ruin that pretty little face of yours." The larger man growled as he dove for the blond, tackling him painfully to the floor. He used their combined momentum to throw Jace off of him and into another direction, hearing a satisfied thud of his body hitting the ground again.

He got to his feet and went for Jace, shooting his gun twice as he approached. One narrowly missed him by the side of his head, and the second one would have hit him if he hadn't thrown himself to the side just in time. He rolled towards the man and kicked sharply out for his legs, a cracking sound echoing as he connected with the man's shin and forced him to tumble backwards.

Samuel was quicker on his feet than Jace had been, standing before he could even attempt to shoot him. He started for Jace once again, only to be stop short by a direct stinging pain in his right shoulder. He stumbled backwards as he clutched his chest, feeling the small indent of where the bullet hit his vest. He laughed out loud, looking up at Jace. "You foolish boy. You've got to be a better shot than that to kill me."

"I don't have to be." Jace smirked confidently, slightly out of breath as he stared the man down. He watched his face mold from one of humour to one of confusion, until the expressions were completely wiped from his face as a bullet rung through the night air. He dropped lifelessly to the floor, behind him emerging a short redhead with a gun outstretched in her hand, her face showing her tiredness and pain.

"Clary." He gasped out desperately as he ran towards her, taking the gun from her hand and throwing it to the floor as he buried his face into the crook of her neck and took her tightly into his embrace. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

"I'm fine," she let out breathlessly, clutching his chest tightly as her eyes bore a hole into the man on the floor. "I'm fine."

"This isn't over," he said reluctantly, pulling away far enough so he could look down at her. "Starkweather's still out there. We need to get you out of here and I need to find him."

"No need," a low, familiar voice said from behind them, and Jace immediately spun around with Clary tucked safely behind him to face the man. Starkweather emerged from behind the door to the roof, casually buttoning up his dining jacket as he looked down at his feet while he walked. "Ask and ye shall receive."

"I won't let you touch her." Jace announced firmly, standing his ground. "You'll have to go through me before you even get near her, and believe me when I say you've got nothing on my talent."

Hodge sighed deeply, distress evident on his face as he looked up at the pair. "You're probably right. Although, I do have the upper hand in the sense that I'm not distracted." He said as he pulled out a revolver from the waistband of his pants, weighing it pointedly in his hands. "I only have one mission - to kill those whom oppose me. You, Jonathan, have two. Protect Clary; and kill me."

"Easy." Jace smirked, unwinding the arm from around Clary that held the gun. "Despite common misconceptions, we men actually _can_ multitask. Who'd of thought?" He spun around to face Clary, whispering urgently and quickly to her. "The moment I start for Starkweather I need you to run to protection, alright? Don't look back, don't look at me, just run and find Alec or Isabelle. Got it?" She nodded quickly, scared, before he pressed a firm kiss to her forehead and turned back around to face Starkweather.

"You won't be the first Agent I've killed." Starkweather deliberated as he took a slow, absentminded step towards him. "Though you'll definitely be the most difficult. You're quite talented for your age."

"I'd compliment you back, but I don't think you really have a redeeming quality." Jace said almost apologetically, taking his own step forward. "Oh, and, don't get your hopes up - I have a funny feeling you've killed your last Agent already."

He launched off the balls of his feet and charged for Starkweather, his gun outstretched in front of him as he fired three strategic shots towards him. At the same time Starkweather turned to his left, firing two of his own shots in clearly the wrong direction to be aiming for Jace, before being flung backwards onto the floor with the impact of Jace's bullets hitting him.

He spluttered blood out from his mouth as Jace walked towards him, a sadistic smirk still on his face. "I underestimated you," he coughed weakly, rolling over onto his front to spit blood onto the floor before looking back up at the boy. "You're better than I ever gave you credit for."

"People seem to do that a lot." Jace nodded honestly, crouching down besides the man with his arms dangling over his knees. "They usually end up in the same position as you."

They stayed like that for several moments, Hodge doubling over in pain. Jace gave him a once over and could see the one wound in his thigh two in his arms - not exactly 'lethal' places to hit, but he had to assume that he would be wearing a bulletproof vest, which meant shooting for his entire torso would have been pointless. He couldn't trust his aim to hit directly in his head while running, so he went for the next best thing - places with lethal arteries that he would have no doubt hit, leaving him to bleed out.

"Well?" Starkweather sounded weak, his eyes barely open as his whole body relaxed into the floor. "Aren't you going to finish me off? Go check on your girl."

Jace pursed his lip and seemed to consider that for a moment, before shaking his head decidedly. "Nah. I think I'll leave you to bleed out and for the rest of the Government Agents to find you and deal with you. And as for Clary, I've no doubt she's already alerted half a dozen people of your whereabouts."

Starkweather laughed at that, despite the immense pain it evidently caused him. Jace narrowed his eyes in confusion as the older man looked up at him, still laughing. "Don't be so sure about that." He said simply, his gaze slowly shifting to something behind Jace.

His body froze as the realisation of his words began to set in, and his entire being filled with dread. _He's lying._ He told himself as he slowly rose to his feet, turning to face where he was looking. _He's lying, Clary's fine, Clary's not-_

The gun in his hand dropped to the floor as he looked at the fallen figure on the floor in the distance, halfway between the door to the main house and the spot where Samuel had been shot. A steady pool of blood surrounded the figure, the stark red seeping into the bright cream fabric of her dress that was ruffled up around on the floor, filthy from running and falling and being attacked. Her face was facing the opposite direction, though it was impossible not to recognise who it was.

 _Clary._

* * *

"The moment I start for Starkweather I need you to run to protection, alright? Don't look back, don't look at me, just run and find Alec or Isabelle. Got it?" Jace had Clary firmly by the shoulders, and she nodded weakly. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, and she closed her eyes as she relished in his touch before he turned to face Starkweather.

Her head was still throbbing from where the other guy had knocked her out, and her entire body was shaking with fear and adrenaline. She looked back at the lifeless figure on the floor, a sob caught in her throat as the realisation set in. She'd _killed_ someone. She'd shot them in cold blood! She held back a cry as she wrapped her arms around herself, looking up at Jace's back where he stood in front of her. His arms were still slightly stretched behind him and his shoulders were squared up, undoubtedly hiding every aspect of her from Hodge.

She could barely hear anything the two of them were saying, her heart hammering and the blood filling her ears. Her entire being was tired and aching, and she wanted nothing more than to just crawl into bed and sleep. Crazy how that's what goes through your mind when your life is being threatened.

Before she could even take note of what was happening, Jace was running away from her, and she gasped in shock. _Run, Clary!_ The voice in her head screamed at her from where she was frozen on the spot, through fear, through shock. She physically shook herself back to the present as she hiked up her skirt around her and began running to her left, where the nearest door was to the main house.

She couldn't feel her legs as she was running, almost like they were moving by themselves through the sheer adrenaline. A fleeting thought for Jace's safety made her stumble in her wake, but she quickly recovered. She thought she'd made it, but something hit her in her side that threw her backwards. It felt like she'd just been hit full force with a baseball bat, and the wind was completely knocked out of her as she fell to the floor.

A searing pain shot through her shoulder as she landed, and she choked for air as she rolled onto her front, clutching her shoulder desperately. She pulled her hand away and saw the blood decorating her pale skin, her hands visibly shaking as she pressed it back to the wound. She tried to cry out for help as she rested her face against the cool cement, but her voice failed her.

Her entire body fought against her as she tried to turn around and face Jace, wanting to get his attention, to call for his help. Suddenly everything felt heavy - her dress, her limbs. Even the air seemed like it was suffocating her as she balled herself up instinctively, the pain and the smell of blood surrounding her as she reluctantly closed her eyes...

* * *

Time seemed to pass in slow motion.

Jace barely even acknowledged the agents that came hurling through the door, three of them making their way to Starkweather while two more went to the bodies of Sebastian and Samuel. He barely even acknowledged the presence of his mother coming through after the main agents, scanning the area with a business-orientated aura. There was just a halo of fog surrounding the redhead on the floor, as if his entire world was focusing on that one being.

He stepped towards her body, but firm hands held him back from approaching any further. He looked up with rage, ready to scream and shout at the person inhibiting him from going to her, only to see Isabelle. "Izzy."

"She needs to be tend to by medical experts." She said formally as she stepped to the side so he could see Clary, though kept a firm hand on his shoulders. "Besides - you don't want Mom to see what's going on between you. She'd have your badge in an instant." Two of the agents unfolded a gurney besides her and carefully shifted her frail body onto it. A gurney meant that she was still alive, Jace thought. _She's going to be okay._

"Three deceased males and an injured female on the rooftop." He heard his mother speak from somewhere behind him, presumably to her back up. "One of the men is confirmed to be Hodge Starkweather. The female is Clarissa Adele Morgenstern - she's being taken to the hospital as we speak."

Now he sat alone in the hallway of the hospital, body hunched over as he ran his hands through his hair for what must have been the ten-millionth time since his arrival. Isabelle had stayed behind at the Morgenstern Mansion to clear the place up, and Alec had Jonathan with him while he took him to safety. Jace had insisted they allowed him to go with Clary in the ambulance, where she kept drifting out of consciousness, claiming it to be his imperative duty as her protector.

It took him every ounce of his being not to scream and shout the roof down with the anger that was bubbling up inside him, anger all directed at himself. He blamed himself for the situation Clary was in, knowing that Starkweather wouldn't of had a clear shot at her if he hadn't told her to run. _It's what you've been taught to do,_ he tried telling himself. _You're supposed to hide them and get them to safety. You followed Protocol._

But it wasn't working.

He heard quick footsteps to his right though didn't look up from his position where he was tormenting himself. "Where is she?" Jonathan's familiar voice growled from besides him, before hands were wrapped around his collar and were forcing him back up against the wall. " _Where is she?"_

"Easy, Jonathan." Alec appeared behind him and firmly placed a warning hand on his shoulder, though it didn't seem to phase him. "You're in a hospital, remember. Inside voices."

"I don't care." He growled, never shifting his fierce gaze from Jace's ashamed face. "You were supposed to protect her. You promised me she wouldn't get hurt."

Jace clenched his teeth and threw Jonathan off from him, looking at him with such disgust as he straightened up his shirt where he'd been grabbed. "Listen, Morgenstern, nobody hates me more than I do right now." He looked down at his feet, laughing incredulously to himself. "It's my fault she was up on that roof. It's my fault she was shot at, and it's my fault she's in here right now. So hate me all you want," he looked back up at Jonathan with a sad smile. "It'll be nothing compared to disappointment I feel inside."

The two boys stared each other down for an immeasurable amount of time while a doctor came out from a nearby room, the room Jace knew that held Clary. She had a clipboard in her hands and slowly approached them, looking between them curiously before fixating her gaze on Jace.

"Agent Herondale?" He looked down at the petite woman with black cropped hair, who had a small symbol on the breast pocket of her jacket which was the symbol for The Academy. "I have information about Miss Fray. If you'd like to go somewhere more private-"

"No," he shook his head, stepping aside pointedly to gesture at Jonathan and Alec. "This is her brother, Jonathan Morgenstern, and my partner, Agent Lightwood. Any information can be given to them, as well."

"Very well." She nodded politely, flicking through the pages on her clipboard as she lowered her glasses from her forehead down to her nose. "Miss Fray received a single 9mm bullet wound to her left shoulder, unfortunately hitting the Subclavian Artery."

"What does that mean?" Jonathan narrowed his eyes as he stood besides Jace with arms folded.

"The Subclavian Artery is an artery in the shoulder which leads to the Brachial Artery, the main artery which supplies blood to the arm." She explained, looking up at the three boys. "She was fortunate enough to hit only the artery, and not the nerve bundle which controls arm function, however the wound is severe enough that she will need to go in for surgery for blood-vessel damage."

"Will she be okay?" Alec interjected, and a hesitant look crossed the doctors face.

"Everything _should_ go fine, however depending on the severity of the internal damage done there could be a 1 in 4 chance that she doesn't survive the surgery." She said quietly, almost apologetically. "But we won't know the exact severity until we begin the operation."

Jonathan cursed loudly, raising his clenched fists to clutch desperately at his hair. He looked at the doctor with disbelief as an ugly look crossed his face, desperately trying not to cry. All trace of emotion left Jace's body as he looked blankly at the doctor, barely even acknowledging the Morgenstern as he barreled past him towards the exit with a pointed shove to his shoulder.

Alec was the only one who could rationally react, placing a gentle hand on the doctor's shoulder as he carefully pulled her to the side and spoke in a quiet whisper. "Is there anything we can do to help?"

The doctor shook her head sadly. "While there still is the biggest chance that she'll be okay, I cannot guarantee it. The only thing you can do is get her loved ones here, and prepare for the worst... Is there any other family members who need to be alerted?"

"No." Alec sighed regretfully, looking up towards where Jonathan stormed off. "He's the only one."


	31. Change of Heart

**Chapter Thirty One - Change of Heart**

 _Chapter Songs;_

 _Scene One; Every Breath You Take - Denmark  
Scene Two; I Don't Need You Anymore - Jim Camacho  
_

* * *

Everything was hazy when Clary finally came to, her entire body wanting to do nothing more than just sleep. Her eyelids were heavy as she opened them, squinting beyond the bright lights above her to see where she was. The last thing she remembered was the rooftop, and an extreme pain in her shoulder...

She glanced to the side to see a large white gauze over her entire right shoulder that was stained in the centre with the bright red of her blood. Clary furrowed her brows and reached up to touch it with her opposite hand, only to be stopped short by a shooting pain in her left hand. There was a bright blue cannula hanging off from the back of her hand with a tube attached from it up to an empty bottle on a tall metal stand beside her bed.

She lowered her hand to her side with a sigh, letting her head flop back as she glanced around. It was evident she was in a hospital, as was made clear from the medical equipment she was hooked up to and the uncomfortable rubber bed. There were two large windows on the wall to her left separated by a thick beige pillar. There was a tall brown chair positioned at the end of the bed that had a cream blanket curled up on the seat, which appeared to have been recently used judging by the crumples and dips imprinted into it.

The door at the far end of the room opened quietly, and Clary turned her head hopefully to look at who it was. A dark skinned woman came through with a clipboard in her hands. She was tall and skinny, and very beautiful. She was dressed in matching plain blue shirt and trousers, the shirt having some sort of black logo on the pocket that Clary couldn't decipher, and appeared to be so absorbed in the files in her hand that she didn't notice Clary watching her.

She stepped up to the IV drip Clary was hooked up to and looked up at it for a moment, before finally glancing down at the redhead. "Oh!" She covered her mouth demurely, looking at her apologetically. "I didn't realise you'd be awake so soon. How are you feeling?"

"Tired. Slightly confused." She laughed honestly in a naturally quiet voice, looking up at the nurse. "Where am I? And don't just say 'the hospital'."

The nurse laughed politely at her words as she made her way to the front of the hospital bed, placing the files in a blue folder there. "You're at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan. You were brought in by Academy Agents late Monday Evening, and it's currently about six in the morning on the Wednesday."

"I've been asleep for almost two days?" She looked at the nurse in disbelief, who nodded.

"You lost a lot of blood so your body needed to recuperate the Monday night." She explained as she walked over to unhook the empty IV bottle from the metal stand, carefully removing the attachment from the cannula. "Then you were in surgery for most of Tuesday morning for which you were under general anaesthesia. The operation was very close to the nerve, so we used the typical dosage used for a larger person than your stature. That combined with the information from your brother that you weren't typically a heavy drinker, we had a feeling you'd be out for about 24 hours after the surgery."

She placed the empty bottle into a bright red bin on one side of a sink on the wall opposite Clary's bed, and wound the tube around her arm in a loose circle before turning back to Clary. "Since you are awake, I will bring in your doctor so she can talk you through how everything went, and what we can expect from now." The woman smiled, and Clary thanked her, before she disappeared out the door again.

It was a couple minutes until the door opening could be heard again, and Clary remained in her relaxed state against her pillows with her eyes closed. "Clarissa Adele Morgenstern." A very soft and welcoming voice said from nearby, though there was an air of firmness about them.

Expecting the doctor, Clary opened her eyes and turned to face the door. Instead she was met with a tall, willowy woman dressed in formal clothing. She wore a perfectly fitted, white pencil skirt that reached mid thighs, with a matching white blazer with black trimmings on the pockets and lapel. Her blonde hair was pulled up into an elegant updo atop her head, with two curled locks prettily framing her striking face. She had prominent features that seemed oddly familiar, her forest green eyes a contrast to her flawless pale skin. It was difficult to say how old exactly she looked, having the type of face where she could be anywhere between thirty and fifty.

"Hi," she said hesitantly with narrowed eyes, reaching down to the side of her bed for the remote which controlled her bed. She pressed the button that raised her more into a sitting position, before putting the controller back. "I'm sorry - do I know you?"

"I'm afraid not," she smiled kindly, though something seemed off about it as she slowly made her way over to the edge of Clary's bed. Her heels rhythmically echoed against the tiled flooring before she sat herself gingerly at her feet. She was very slow yet pointed in her movements as she crossed over her legs and placed her folded hands atop of them, looking down at Clary. "However I know you."

"How do you-" she raised a hand to cut Clary short, who pulled a face in surprise at being silenced. She huffed quietly to herself, watching the woman as she looked down at her lap.

"The Academy has their suspicions about the level of professionalism within the relationship between Agent Jace Herondale and yourself-" She explained solemnly, looking up at her from the side, keeping her head bowed. Clary opened her mouth to say something, but the woman was quicker to speak. "-please, do not try to lie to me. Like I said, I know you, Clarissa, and I know the nature of the relationship between you both."

She stood up elegantly and wiped down her skirt gingerly before slowly making her way around the end of the bed. She glanced around at the room casually as she walked, never looking directly at the silently stunned Clary. "I care for Jonathan very dearly, which is why his position at The Academy is very important to me. His involvement with you, his client, will damage his reputation permanently. I bet you can imagine how I feel about that."

"Why do you care for Jace?" Clary narrowed her eyes as she pulled herself up to sit straighter against her pillows, being careful not to use her injured arm as she moved. "Who are you?"

"Who I am is not relevant to the situation at hand." The woman said sharply, stopping in her stride and turning quickly to look at Clary. Her lips were pursed slightly, and there were crease lines on her forehead from her frowning. "All you need to know is that I am not willing to let a little girl such as yourself ruin his life as an agent." She stepped forwards towards the bed, and Clary found herself instinctively flinching away. "I'm sure that you and I can both agree that his reputation is far more important than some teenage infatuation story."

"Who are you to judge our relationship?" Clary was getting irritated now, and she looked up at the woman incredulously. "You don't get to come in here and tell me what is more important than my feelings for Jace."

"Feelings for Jace?" The woman laughed at that, holding a hand over her chest. "Sweetheart, what you feel, is infatuation." She smiled condescendingly as she made her way quickly back over to perch at the side of the bed, this time a little further up so she was closer to Clary. "You may think you love him, but you don't. You are an eighteen year old girl who is still trying to find her way in the world, who just so happened to stumble across this unfortunate world of secrets and lies."

Tears were threatening to spill over, now, and Clary had to inhale a sharp take of breath to stop herself from crying. "You have no idea what you're talking about." She said, shakily. "I love him with all my heart, and I know he feels the same way. He has saved me more times than I can count."

"That's because it's his job," she said harshly, looking at her in disbelief. "Don't you see that? Everything he did was to make sure he completed his mission. He doesn't care about you - he just cares about his job at The Institute. He's the best Agent they've seen in the past five decades - do you really think he'd put his reputation at risk for a girl like you?"

Clary ducked her head to the side so the woman couldn't see her tears, quickly dabbing at her cheeks. She must have seen anyway, because she heard a condescending 'aw' as she wiped away the wetness. She took in a deep breath and wrapped her arms around herself as she looked back up at the woman. "So? What was your point in coming here? What do you want from me?"

"What I want," the woman smiled, resting a hand on her leg. Clary had to force herself not to flinch away from her touch, "is for you to break up with Jace. If you break things off before The Academy gets too involved, then they'll have nothing to investigate. You can go on with your mundane life at New York University with your brother, and Jace can proceed to fulfill his destiny by becoming the best Agent this world has ever seen. If what you say is true, and you do love him, then you'll see how much more beneficial this will be for Jace."

Clary refused to look at the woman, the rage and sadness she felt inside already being more than she can handle. She looked down at the floor by the door, willing the woman to leave. She heard a soft sigh come from her, before she pressed a hand to Clary's cheek. She closed her eyes desperately as the tears fell again. Without another word the woman retracted her hand, gracefully getting to her feet and leaving the room with one swift flourish.

She let out a quiet sob the moment the door closed again, her entire body shaking. She dropped her body flush against the bed and buried her face into one of her pillows as she cried into it. She ignored the sound of the door opening and closing again, wanting nothing more than to go back to how her life was before any of this drama began. No drama, no deaths, no agents... No Jace.

* * *

"I'm so glad you're okay."

It was the early afternoon of the same day, and though Clary felt comfortable being in the presence of her friends, she couldn't help but feel on edge from the woman's words earlier that morning.

The doctor - whose name was Claire - had come in moments after the mysterious women's departure and comforted her, assuming the tears were from the day's events rather than the blonde's visits. She'd changed the bandage on her shoulder since it had bleed through, and Clary had seen the stitches across the wound. She had to look away so she wouldn't cry, the realisation of the situation unsettling her.

The surgery had been a success, the damage done by the bullet being just in the muscles and so being much easier to control. She'd been given some pain medication and was told she was required to remain in the hospital for at least 24 hours for surveillance purposes. Her temperature and blood pressure were fine, but they said it was better to be safe than sorry. After that, however, she would be free to go, alongside a week's worth of pain medication for the bullet wound. She was also required to fill out a formal statement detailing the events of the night for The Academy, which she did immediately once the doctor left.

Shortly after 10am Jonathan appeared, flanked by Simon and Magnus. Each of them had brought gifts for her, and she'd been all too humble to accept them. Jonathan brought her a bouquet of pastel coloured dahlia's, her absolute favourites, as well as a jokey _Get Well Soon_ card. Simon had brought her a bundle of helium balloons with the same message and a box of her favourite white chocolates, while Magnus had gotten her a large teddy bear that she was pretty sure was the same size as her, as well as a card of his own. She'd placed the cards, flowers, chocolates, and balloons on the small stack of shelves directly besides the bed, and Magnus had placed the bear near the window so Clary could still see it but it didn't clog up the room.

It was now two in the afternoon and the four of them had spent the last four hours enjoying each other's company. Magnus was sat in the large arm chair while Jonathan was perched at the foot of her bed with one hand protectively on her leg. Simon had politely asked one of the nurses for an extra chair, and so now he was sat in a small blue fabric chair besides Magnus at the head of the bed.

"Yeah. The doctor said that I was lucky. Apparently bullet wounds to the shoulder can be very severe."

"Very severe?" Jonathan scoffed, shaking his head with an amused expression. "She told us there was a one in four chance that you wouldn't survive, if it was bad enough. They said they wouldn't know to what extent the damage was until they began the operation." It was evident in his face that he had worried all day while she was in surgery, and Clary's heart broke just looking at him.

"Hey," she said softly, reaching down with her uninjured arm to take his hand in hers. He looked up at her, and she gave him a small smile. "I'm okay. I'm here! You're not getting rid of me that easily." The siblings laughed together at that, and Jonathan stood up to give her a hug, being sure to avoid her right shoulder.

There was a knock at the door as he sat back down, and everyone turned their attention to it as Clary called them in. A familiar mop of golden locks appeared through the door then, and Clary swallowed the uncomfortable lump in her throat.

Jace smiled at her, shutting the door behind him. "Hey. I would have gotten here sooner, but I had some paperwork to fill out back at The Institute." He pulled out a box of chocolates from behind his back then, as well as a card and a large bunch of blood red roses. Clary couldn't help but smile at the thoughtfulness as he walked over to her and offered her a kiss. She tilted her head so he kissed her on the cheek, avoiding the curious gazes around the room.

He placed the roses alongside Jonathan's dhalia's, the chocolates atop of the ones Magnus had brought and gave the card directly to Clary. She opened up the purple envelope and shoved it in the rubbish bag attached to the side of her bed. The front of the card had a picture of a frowning dog, on top saying _Sorry to hear you're feeling ruff._ Clary giggled, opening it up.

 _Clary. I love you._

 _I cannot even begin to apologise for the part I played in the events leading up to you being in hospital, but I hope that you know I never wanted this. Seeing you lying on the floor, injured and unresponsive, was the worst thing I'd ever witnessed. I was so scared that I thought I'd lost you forever, and I swear I never would have forgiven myself if you didn't make it out of that operating room alive and well._

 _I hope you can forgive me. I love you._

 _Jace._

Clary wiped at the tears she shed with the heel of her hands, sniffling slightly to try and hide the fact she was crying. She placed the card alongside the other's she'd received, pulling Jace into a tight hug despite the mixed feelings she was feeling inside. She buried her face into the crook of his neck for a moment, before pulling away to place her hands on either of his cheeks. She kissed him firmly, not caring that their friends were there nor that she probably looked like a mess.

"I'm gonna go make some calls to the University." Jonathan said from the end of the bed as she pulled away from Jace. "Explain that were not gonna be in for a couple of weeks."

"Jon, you don't have to-"

"Yes, Clary, I do." He cut off firmly. "You're my sister, and it's now my job to look after you while you recover. So no trying to change my mind, okay?" She laughed softly at him, leaning into his touch as he gave her a kiss on the cheek. Simon and Magnus also excused themselves at the same time to go and get some food, to which Clary teasingly replied to bring her back some strawberry jelly.

That left Jace and Clary alone in the room, the former sat on the bed besides her upper body. He ran a hand through her hair as he watched her affectionately, and she couldn't help but lean into his touch. "How are you feeling?" He whispered, and she shrugged noncommittally.

"I'm okay. Everything's a bit numb from the pain killers, but I'm just glad everything went okay." She leaned back against her pillows, reveling in his touch as he skimmed across her cheekbone and stroked her bottom lip with his thumb. "How are you coping with everything?"

"A lot better now that you're awake, and I know you're going to be fine." He smiled warmly at her and pressed a light kiss to her lips as he rubbed soothing circles on her cheek. She smiled back at him, though it didn't quite meet her eyes. Jace must have seen it as well, because he frowned at her and pressed a thumb to her lips again. "What's wrong?"

She furrowed her brows together and took his hand in hers, placing it on her lap and looking at it intently. She swallowed hard to hold back the tears, taking in deep breaths to steady herself. "Clary?" His voice was nervous and concerned, and Clary couldn't help but feel guilty for what she was about to do.

"I... I don't think we should be together." She said quietly, nervously fiddling with his hand. From the corner of her eye she saw him tense, and she scrunched her face up in pain at her own words. "Your life - it's just too dangerous for me. I don't know if I can be with you throughout all that."

"Clary," he laughed in disbelief, removing his hand from hers and cupping her cheek. He tried to coax her to look up at him, but she kept her eyes downcast. "All that's over now. Starkweather's gone, Sebastian's gone - you don't have to live in fear of being hurt again."

"But I'd have to live in fear of _you_ being hurt!" She said as the tears began to spill, and she choked slightly on her words. "You'd still be an agent, and every single day I'd have to sit in fear of you never coming back. I don't want to live that life, Jace. I want to live a _normal_ life, where I can get a job and have a happy family. A family without secrets, without danger, without fear."

She looked up at him and saw the pain in his face at his words, and her own tears fell harder. "Clary, listen - I can-"

"No, Jace, you listen." She said firmly, pulling back the tears and forcing his hand off her face. "I don't want to live this life, okay?" She looked him dead in the eyes and told him the words she couldn't disagree with more, knowing that it was better this way.

The mysterious woman was right - his reputation was more important than their relationship, and she wanted him to have all the joy and the luxury The Academy had to offer him. It was evident that this was his life, and it's what he was best at. If The Academy were onto the relationship shared between them, then she knew she had to step away from him. She wouldn't be the woman that would ruin his life and his passion - she just wouldn't.

"This is your life, Jace. Not mine." She could see in his eyes that he didn't want to believe her. "And I won't be the person to stand between you and your dreams."

"I'd rather be with you than be an Agent without you." He said desperately, taking both her hands in his. "Please, Clary - I know you don't mean this. Maybe you're scared, maybe you don't know what to do after the death of your father. But you can't push me away. I'm here for you, and I love you. Please don't push me aw-"

"I don't." She choked out, looking down at their hands as she slowly retracted hers. She could feel his confused gaze on hers as she shook her head. "I don't love you. Not anymore."

"Clary-"

"I don't love you, Jace!" She looked up at him practically screaming, her entire being aching with the words she spoke. She wanted to scream the opposite, that she _did_ love him, and she didn't care who knew about it. She wanted to scream it from the rooftop, and she wanted to run away on a trip around the world like he'd promised them the night before the ball. But she couldn't.

In that moment, she saw his face drop, and she saw every ounce of emotion she'd come to love disappear. He was a blank shell as he dropped his hands to his lap, slowly looking down at them. Clary wrapped her arms around herself and looked away - she couldn't bare to look at him like that.

"Okay." He said calmly, blankly, his tone of voice reminding her of how cold he was when they first met all those months ago. She felt the bed shift as he got to his feet, though she still refused to look at him. "If that's how you feel, then I'll go. And I'll never disturb you again."

His footsteps got quieter and quieter as he walked away, and Clary was forced to hold herself together until he couldn't see her anymore. The door open and shut without another word, and Clary glanced out of her eye to check he really was gone. The moment she got her confirmation, her body was wracked with pain.

She doubled over in her bed and wrapped her arms around her legs as she buried her head into her lap, sobbing louder than she'd ever sobbed before. Her heart felt like it had physically snapped in two, and her chest ached like it had never ached before. She screamed into the blanket across her legs, so loudly she didn't hear the door opening. In an instant she had arms wrapped around her, and she instinctively leaned into their body. They were strong and large, and she knew in a heartbeat that it was her brother.

He stroked her hair soothingly as he whispered comforting words into her ear, letting her cry into his chest. "You're gonna be okay," he cooed, and she shook her head desperately.

"He's gone, Jonathan." She sobbed. "He's gone. And he's never coming back."

* * *

 _Sorry for the heartbreak, but it needed to happen! There will be a significant time jump in the next chapter, so just wanted to alert you of that. I hope you enjoyed the chapter!_


	32. Bon Anniversaire, Clary

**Chapter Thirty Two - Bon Anniversaire, Clary**

 _Chapter Songs;_

 _Scene One; In My Veins - Andrew Belle  
Scene Two; Fell In Love Without You (Acoustic) - Motion City Soundtrack  
Scene Three; Closer - Kings Of Leon_

* * *

 _Nine Months Later - Wednesday 23rd August, 2017_

 _The ballroom was almost completely devoid of people, a complete contrast to how Clary would have expected the place to look. Her heels hitting against the marble floor was the only sound she could hear as she walked into the empty room, looking around curiously. Tables with elegant cloths were loitering around the edges of the room, and a simple stage was presented front and centre by the majestic floor-to-ceiling windowed-wall._

 _Her father stood at the centre of that stage, looking at Clary with a blank stare. He had a sophisticated, shiny black dinner suit on with a matching bow tie. His hands were folded in front of his stomach, and he appeared to not be breathing at all as Clary slowly approached him._

 _"Dad?" She lifted up the heavy organza ruffle skirt around her so she wouldn't step on it as she walked forwards, now being just a few metres in front of him. "Are you okay?"_

 _A small mark appeared on the centre of his forehead, a red circle that was almost too small for the human eye to see. Clary narrowed her eyes as she focused in on the mark, taking another step forwards to try and see what it was. "Dad-" the mark grew as he continued to stare blankly ahead, growing from the tiny red circle to a gaping hole in the centre of his head._

 _She filled with fear and dread as she tried to reach out for him, but her body refused to move. She tried desperately to run to him and make sure he was okay, but she couldn't will herself to take a step forwards. She opened her mouth to scream for him, but no sound came out._

 _She felt helpless as she watched the mark deepen into a hole. Blood began to pour out of it, all the while her father looking into her eyes with a blank and vacant stare. She sobbed silently to herself as she stood as a hopeless bystander while her father fell to the ground in slow motion._

 _Finally she regained the feeling in her body and she was able to throw herself on top of her father's body, sobbing into his jacket-covered arm. "I'm sorry," she choked out, clutching him desperately. "I'm sorry I didn't help you."_

 _All of a sudden her father disappeared from beneath her, and she fell through onto the ground with her hands outstretched in front of her. Her tears were cut short by her sudden confusion as she sat up, looking down at the ground and around at her surroundings. The ballroom had disappeared, and she felt like she was falling in a pit of nothingness. There was an incredible weight forcing down on her and she couldn't breath, her entire existence being consumed by the darkness..._

* * *

Clary woke with a start, propelling herself upright. She was covered in sweat and her entire body was shaking as she ran her hands through her matted and knotted hair, trying to calm herself down. A light _thud thud_ could be heard by her feet, shortly followed by the familiar purring and soft fur being rubbed up against her leg.

She looked down to see the short, chubby tabby cat she'd grown to love, and smiled affectionately down at him. "I'm okay, Chairman Meow." She whispered in the darkness to the short cat that traveled his way up the bed to nuzzle her arm lovingly, settling himself down besides her there. He wrapped himself around her hand as he laid down to sleep, completely rendering it useless to her. She sighed softly at the sight, knowing he must have heard her worrying in her sleep and came to protect her. Cat's were so perfect and innocent.

She looked around at the room she was in, noticing she was still sat up leaning against the head of the bed with her sketchpad in her lap. She yawned tiredly as she cast the book to the side of her bed, carefully reaching over to grab her phone from where it was charging near the body as she lied down on the bed. She was careful not to disturb Chairman Meow, keeping her hand placed within his grasp where he wanted it.

Her phone read 8 in the morning, meaning she must have fallen asleep some point after 4am when she was up finishing the draft of her final piece - hence the sketchbook she woke with. She didn't have to be up for another hour, so she figured she'd get an extra forty-five minutes sleep before her busy day began. She placed her phone at the side of the bed and settled into the comfort of her duvet, loosely wrapping her arm around the side of the resting cat alongside her.

She could swear she had barely shut her eyes for twenty seconds before her door swung open with a pointed _thwack,_ and a loud outburst startled her. " _HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"_ The cat within her arms jumped up at the loud and sudden sound and ran immediately for the open door, disappearing before Clary even had the chance to open her eyes.

With an amused smile she turned to look towards the open door, giggling when she saw Magnus stood there with a tray of food and drink in his hands. "What are you doing?" She asked, still affectionately, as she wiped the sleepiness from her eyes. Magnus perched himself at the end of her bed and placed the tray between them both, picking a grape from the bunch on the plate and popping it into his own mouth.

"Well, it's your birthday! I knew you had an important day ahead and I wanted to make sure it started off with a special _bang._ " He grinned up at her, tilting his head curiously to the side as he looked at her. He must have seen the slight tiredness and apprehension in her eyes as he took one of her hands carefully in his. "Did you have another nightmare?" She bit her lip and nodded solemnly at him. He outstretched his other hand to her and pulled a stray strand of hair behind her ear with a sympathetic look. "It'll get better. I promise."

"I know." She agreed with a heavy sigh, squeezing his hand. "And it is. But the pain's still there." It had been over nine months since the death of her father, and the shock had taken it's toll on her. Although they hadn't always had the best relationship, Clary still held him very strongly in her heart, especially after everything he did to protect her in the weeks before his death.

His funeral had been held two weeks after she came out of hospital, and she was sad to see that not many people turned up. Her, Jonathan, Starkweather's wife, and a few old friends from his time before New York. That was it. It was sad when you really thought about it - that he didn't have more people who cared enough to say goodbye. But she also knew that he wouldn't have wanted dozens of fake friends and business accomplices there, just for the sake of being there.

His death had taken less of a toll on Jonathan, though he still appeared solemn the month after the events of the ball. He seemed to of matured a lot since then, having been given a lot of responsibility in their father's will. He'd left Jonathan as the designated head of Starkweather Enterprises, all of the details for the company being left to him in confidence. Jonathan had taken on the roll with confidence, appointing a co-head with him so that he could still manage lacrosse and his lessons at the University. His name was Patrick Penhallow, and was a very well respected businessman throughout New York. Although he had accepted the job given to him, Clary knew it was more out of respect for their father, and that his main goal was still lacrosse.

The siblings had also been given joint ownership over the Morgenstern Mansion, though neither of them had moved into it. They'd inherited their father's money and had put it to good use by giving each of the main workers there enough money so they wouldn't have to work anymore if they didn't want to, since there was no reason for them to stay at the mansion again. A few, like Enzo, had nowhere else to go, and no family to move in with. Working for the Morgenstern's had been all he'd known for twenty years, and so he didn't know what life was without it. They'd allowed him to stay there as long as he wanted, considering him to be family ever since they were little.

"Earth to Clary." Magnus snapping in front of her face pulled her from her day dream, and she looked up at him apologetically.

"Sorry." She laughed, crossing her legs over and pulling her face out from her hair. "I was just thinking about Jonathan, and Valentine."

"They're both very proud of you, you know that, right?" Clary nodded, smiling gratefully at him. "Good. Now eat your breakfast, get dressed, and meet me in the living room in forty minutes. I've got another prize for you, and you have to look your best for your meeting with Jules Augustine." He tapped her nose playfully before jumping to his feet and making his way out of her room in one swift movement.

The tray was full of delightful food Magnus had specially picked for Clary, all of her favourites being there. There was a bowl of greek yoghurt with cherries and granola scattered on the top, a cup of freshly chopped strawberries, and a plate full of various pastries; a pain au chocolat, a croissant, and a chocolate muffin. There was also a glass of pulp-free orange juice and a cup of hot coffee.

Once she was finished with her food she placed the tray and empty dishes on the desk beside her bed. She sat on the end of the bed with a soft sigh, looking around at the room.

Shortly after she left the hospital, Clary sent off her application for the Artist Apprenticeship. Simon and Jonathan had both helped choose her best pieces to send off with it as a portfolio, both of them wishing as much as she did for her to get the part. A month later she'd gotten her reply from the school, and was overjoyed to see that she'd been accepted above thousands of applicants across the country. She had a sneaking suspicion that Madame Dorothea had something to do with it, but she didn't question it too much.

Five months of classes later in early July, she was shipped off to France for her internship. Magnus had gone across with her, always spending his summers in Europe anyway, and the pair of them had stayed in his apartment in Paris for the duration of their stay. Jonathan had been skeptical at letting her move temporarily across the globe, though the thought that Magnus would be with her for her entire stay seemed to settle him at ease a little. He'd even visited for his birthday near the end of the July, Simon flying out alongside him so the four could spend time together exploring the city.

Her internship involved shadowing and helping a local French artist. Jules Augustine was an excellent artist in and around France, most famous for his unique displays for his pieces. He liked to use more conventional materials like technology, projecting magnificent artworks onto walls to reveal hidden messages and the such. Shadowing him had given her such incredible opportunities to meet other artists, get advice on her work, and he'd even offered to become a reference for her if she ever tried to commission a piece. At first Clary thought it may be difficult to work under someone's wings, but she'd learned to consider Jules a close friend in France. It was almost like a dream come true, truth be told.

Clary got to her feet and got dressed into respectable attire for her meeting with Jules; a short-sleeved white shirt and tight black jeans, paired with a pale pink women's blazer and matching pink heels. That was the other benefit of moving to Paris with Magnus - her fashion sense had increased exceptionally. She grabbed her oversized, see-through art folder and placed her sketchbook inside it. She packed some other supplies like a small set of acrylic paints, and some portable artist pencils, before grabbing her usual messenger bag and heading out into the living room.

Magnus' pad was rather luxurious, though Clary really shouldn't of expected anything less. The place was very modern with wooden stairs leading to the upper floor where both their bedrooms sat, alongside a bathroom and a spare room. The stairs led to the main living room on the bottom floor, which was elegantly designed in various complimenting colours of cream, beige, and black. There was an 80" TV on one wall, a low white shelving unit being below it with various adorable nick-knacks. Further in front was a three-seater cream sofa in which one of the end seats had a long extension at the end, and to the side was a large open window with white blinds decorating them.

"Magnus," she called out as she made her way down into the room, rummaging around in her messenger bag to make sure she had her phone and purse on her. "I've got about half an hour until I need to meet with Jules. Where are you?"

The door to the kitchen opened just then, and Clary looked up expectantly. Magnus emerged in all his flamboyant glory, having changed from his more casual clothes into a nice green velvet blazer with antique patterns on it, and a matching ruffle scarf with a black shirt underneath and black skinny jeans. She placed her bags down on the sofa and opened her arms to her friend as he approached, humming in contentment as he hugged her.

" _Bon Anniversaire, Biscuit._ " He kissed just in front of her ear sweetly before he pulled away, still keeping her in his grasp. "I've got a birthday surprise for you. Are you ready?"

"I told you not to get me anything." Clary pouted slightly as he walked back into the kitchen without another word. She leaned her hip against the back of the sofa and folded her arms impatiently with pursed lips as she waited for him to reemerge.

When he did, he returned empty handed, and Clary narrowed her eyes at him. "I didn't _technically_ 'get' you this." He said with a smirk, stepping to the side of the door as he outstretched his hand in a grand gesture. She watched for a second, before Jonathan walked through with a sheepish grin. She squealed in excitement, running up to her brother and throwing herself on him.

"Jonathan!" She giggled as he spun her around several times, laughing with her. "I thought you said you couldn't make it because of your meeting?" Eventually he placed her down on her feet and kept his arms wrapped around her waist, and she kept hers on his shoulder.

"I couldn't, but when I explained to Patrick that it was my baby sister's birthday, he agreed to go to the meeting for me." He grinned victoriously as Clary pulled him into another tight hug. "I told Magnus, and he booked me a ticket so I'd arrive early this morning. I told him to keep it a secret, because I wanted to surprise you."

"Well, consider me thoroughly surprised." Clary laughed as she finally released her brother from her iron grip, stepping back to hug Magnus instead. "Thank you. This is the best birthday present ever."

"Ehh," Magnus deliberated with a high-pitched squeal as he hugged Clary back, slowly pulling her away so he could look down at her. "Don't say that quite yet. The surprises aren't done."

Perfectly on cue, another figure walked through the door in the shape of a 5'10 man with shaggy brown hair and wonky glasses. "Si!" The good news just kept on coming as she barreled into her best friend, burying her face into the crook of his neck. "It's been too long."

"Tell me about it, Clare," he hugged her fiercely, stroking her long curls down her back as he kissed the side of her head. "Who'd of thought that you moving to Paris would mean we'd barely even get to talk."

"I know, I know." She frowned apologetically as she pulled away, looking up at him as he tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Jules has been working me crazy to get his exhibition up, and paired with making my final piece - I've barely had any spare time to myself."

Simon laughed softly and nudged her shoulder gently with his hand. "I'm kidding, Clary. We all knew that this was a big opportunity for you, and we're behind you every step of the way." She smiled at that, pulling him into another hug.

"Right, enough with the hugging." Magnus clapped his hand from the side, crossing the room to grab something from the small green bowl on the shelving unit. Clary knew that was where he kept the keys to his Porsche Boxster - his _baby._ She watched him curiously as he made his way back over to where the three stood, a knowing smirk upon his lips.

He held his hand up high for a moment and looked at Clary pointedly, who stood there, confused, for a moment, before outstretching her hand. He placed the cold metal on the palm of her hand and then wrapped her fingers carefully around it. "Since it's your birthday, you get to drive Priscilla to the office."

"Priscilla?" Simon asked incredulously from the side.

"Yes, Priscilla. Priscilla the Porsche. It's a nice little _homage_ to one of my favourite musicals, _Priscilla, Queen of the Desert."_ Magnus said with a roll of his eyes, as if it should have been obvious.

Clary just grinned up at him, placing her closed fist with the keys inside to her chest. "Thank you, Magnus." She said sincerely. "I know how much she means to you." He pressed a firm kiss to her forehead and rubbed her arm comfortingly, before she walked over to grab her bags from the sofa.

"Make sure you're back for five." Magnus said as the three boys followed her out to the front door. "I'm doing your hair and makeup tonight before the party."

"Party?" She heard Jonathan ask curiously from behind as she skipped down the stairs and jumped immediately into Priscilla that was parked up outside. She started up the car and pressed the button to lower the sun roof, before buckled up her seat belt. "What party?"

"Jules Augustine's exhibition opens tonight, and there's an exclusive party beforehand to which we're all going to. So wear something smart." Clary watched as she tapped both her brother and Simon on their noses as he headed back inside, causing her to giggle. She blew a kiss to the two boys left at the door before turning her attention to the road, smiling to herself as she started her way for the office.

* * *

 _Monde de Merveille_ was a stunning little art gallery about half an hour from the centre of Paris, and the outside was just as gorgeous as the inside. It was a long, rectangular building with two varying styles and heights. The main part of it was covered in floor-to-ceiling windows that had a tint of green to them, so you could see inside to the reception and the gangway between exhibitions. There was a large, tall building at one end covered in various shades of grey and silver mosaic tiles, with diagonal and lopsided windows to the side. While some thought it would appear ugly and an eyesore, Clary thought it was utterly stunning.

She parked her car in the staff parking round of the back of the building, quickly grabbing her bags from the passenger seat before running into the building before she could be late. She quickly flashed her staff badge to the security at the entrance, being thankful that it was the regular people who saw her most days - otherwise they may have stopped her and asked to search her bags.

She skipped her way to the far end of the building to the _Villareal_ gallery where she knew Jules would be waiting for her. "Morgenstern!" A commanding English voice called as she barreled her way into the exhibition, forcing her to stop in her tracks and spin around to face them. Lucas, the head co-ordinator of the exhibition, was stood by the entrance as he fixed a sign up above the door. He was early thirties and a very nice man whom Clary had come to know very well after her month and a half working beside him. "Augustine is in the back room waiting for you." She nodded, making her way in that direction. "And happy birthday!"

She carefully weaved herself through the pieces of artwork and into the back room, looking around expectantly as she entered. It was a large square workspace surrounded by a hip-high work desk, various pieces of paint and materials scattered across everything. On one wall was very clearly her work space, her personal touches of pictures with Jonathan, Simon, and Magnus being stuck up on the cork board. On the opposite wall was another desk which was more simpler, and appeared to be occupied by a tall and lean man.

"Sorry I'm late." She immediately started as she walked in the door, heading towards her desk and immediately dumping her bags there. "There was a bit off a surprise family gathering at _Chez Bane_." She pulled out her sketchpad from her portfolio and placed it in the centre of her desk, flipping through the pages to find the specific one she was looking for.

"No need to apologise." An attractive French accent replied in perfect English, before footsteps could be heard behind her. She saw him at the other end of her desk from the corner of her eye as she finally landed on the double page she needed. She hummed pointedly as she pushed it in front of him, turning to lean her butt against the desk and watch him.

He leaned over the desk and fingered the page pointedly as he looked down at it, his face a perfect mask of composure. She bit her lip nervously as she watched him, her gaze flickering between the artwork and him.

Jules was about early twenties and was very, _very_ attractive. He was the same height as Magnus, a topic they had discovered one drunken night back at Magnus and Clary's apartment. He was lean, like Magnus, but seemed to have more muscle on his upper body. He had very prominent bone structure in his face, his cheekbones being defined and his jaw being so sharp it could probably cut someone. He had wavy black hair that curled at the ends at the base of his neck, and warm, welcoming brown eyes.

A small smile appeared at the corner of his lips, and Clary looked up hopefully at him. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye and pushed off the desk to stand up straight with a deep breath. "Well," he said slowly, his eyes still on Clary's work. He flickered his gaze back up to her and gave her a dazzling smile. "I think it's fantastic."

She jumped to her feet and clapped her hands ecstatically, before wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug. "Are you serious?" She squealed.

"Yes, I'm serious, ma chèrie." He laughed as he hugged her tight, spinning her around once before letting her go again. "You really are a very talented artist, and I'd be _thrilled_ to have your work in my exhibition."

The hours after that was almost a blur for Clary as she worked her ass off to get everything into place. She was calling moving vans, home decor shops, technology and gadget places. It was insane, and she barely got two minutes to herself as she rushed to put everything into place.

She was at the very far end of the gallery room where Jules' work was being displayed, her piece requiring a closed space to work to it's full efficiency. She'd spent a few hours of the morning painting the entire back wall as black as black could be, before finally her display frame arrived. She'd recruited the help of two runners also working for the gallery at the time to help set her up, mostly since she was too short and not strong enough to set it all up.

It was 3 in the afternoon by the time she'd set everything up in it's places, and she stood back to admire the piece. She smiled coyly at the sight, wrapping her arms around herself to hug herself. She was so proud of everything she'd accomplished, and just looking at what she'd created in just a few short hours, and knowing it was inside one of the most well respected art galleries in the world, just made her swell with happiness.

She stepped around to the back of the display to fiddle with some wires to neaten everything up, making sure it was all invisible from the front. She would search for Jules once she was certain everything was perfect, just to get one final opinion on it. She flicked on the main switch on the wall and headed round to the front to take one last look at it.

"Nice work." A chill went down her spine when she heard that voice - that voice she'd tried so desperately to forget over the past months. Her entire composure almost broke then and there, but she refused to let herself fall apart after how hard she'd tried to keep herself together.

She swallowed hard, taking a deep breath to prepare herself before turning to the source of her voice. She forced a smile, feeling her cheeks twitching as she tried to be genuine. "Jace."

* * *

 _I really want to start another Mortal Instruments fanfic but actually **in** the TMI universe. With Shadowhunters, Demons, Vampires, and Angels. But I don't really know what I'd write about, or what kind of storyline to have. If you have any ideas then please message me them or comment them - I'd love to hear your input! I'd love to start up another TMI fanfic, and I'd love to have your help. Thanks for reading, and thanks for the reviews! Love you all._


	33. Portrait of a Lady

**Chapter Thirty Three - Portrait of a Lady**

 _Proud of this chapter. Hope you enjoy!_

 _Chapter Songs;_

 _Scene One; After All - Ben Rector  
Scene Two; I Will Let You Go - Daniel Ahearn  
Scene Three; Our Story - Graham Colton  
Scene Four; My Heart With You - The Rescues_

* * *

"Jace." He was a little over two metres away from her, casually looking up at the 8ft structure that was Clary's art work. He'd looked even better than he did nine months ago, if that was even possible. His curly golden locks were slightly longer than they once had been, yet looked even smoother than it had before. His eyes were breathtaking, and his smile was striking. It had been all too difficult for Clary to forget a face like his. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard you were in this exhibit and wanted to say hello." He said nonchalantly, placing his hands in the pockets of his black ripped jeans. A small smirk appeared on his lips as he looked at her, head slightly tilted in that naturally cocky way.

"I don't mean 'here' here," she said with a humourless laugh. "I mean 'here' as in France. Paris... You're supposed to be in New York."

"I took a leave of absence." He said simply, walking past her to look at the exhibit closer up. He raised a hand as if to touch it, before thinking better of it and lowering his hand back to his side. "Thought I'd take a month out of missions to have time to myself - travel the world, like I've always wanted."

Clary swallowed hard, the nerves settling in as she made her way around to the back of the display. She turned off the switch at the wall, both so she wouldn't waste electricity and just for something to do to calm herself. She wrapped her arms around herself as she moved to the front again, careful not to look directly at Jace. "And you just so happened to stumble your way into _Monde de Merveille_?" She said, cynically.

He laughed at that, his single imperfection of his chipped incisor showing through, and shook his head affectionately. "Not exactly. Jonathan told me that your internship was here," he gestured around openly at the gallery, "so I thought I'd come here to see how you were doing."

"You're not supposed to be thinking like that." She said quietly, walking past him in a sulk towards the back room. He was hot on her heels the entire way, and she had to stop herself from slamming the door in his face as she walked inside.

Luckily Jules wasn't in there, since she knew he was very particular about who was allowed inside the back room - and a surprise ex-boyfriend was definitely not on the list. "How else am I supposed to think, Clary?" He urged from behind as she walked to her desk, nervously shuffling through stacks of papers to neaten her already spotless desk. "I loved you. Hell, I still love you!"

"You promised me you'd leave." She spun around, trying not to shout. Her heart was pounding a mile a minute, and her hands were shaking from where she hid them behind her back. "You promised me you'd never disturb me again." She pressed her lips into a tight line as she watched him with a pained expression, her mind and her heart beating to two different drums.

"I only promised that, so long as you felt like you didn't love me." He said firmly, stepping forwards towards her with an outstretched hand. "And from what I hear, that's not been the case. It's never been the case."

"Look, I don't know who you've been talking to, but-" Clary turned around to face her desk again so she wouldn't have to look at him, but was cut short when he grabbed her arm and spun her around. She gasped in surprise, looking up at his determined expression.

"Magnus has been in contact with me ever since your father's funeral." He said, and Clary narrowed her eyes in surprise. She didn't believe it - Magnus wasn't the type of person to betray her trust. He knew she never wanted to see Jace - although he didn't know the precise reasons on why, he knew enough to settle his curiosity. "He told me you were miserable for months, and he wanted me to help by talking to you. I told him you'd broke up with me, and he couldn't seem to understand why. When I told him what you said in the hospital, he was almost in as much disbelief as I was."

"Yeah, well, my father died." She said bitterly, yanking her arm out of his grip and storming across to the other side of the room to get as much distance between them as possible. "Sorry for being a little upset about that."

The door opened at the side then, and Clary immediately turned to face it in case it was Jules. She sighed in relief when it wasn't, instead being Lucas with what appeared to be a giant cooler full of alcohol for the exhibition later that evening.

He looked around curiously between Clary and Jace as he stepped in, shutting the door behind him. "Is everything alright, Clary?" He stepped towards her while keeping a curious eye on Jace, clearly suspecting him of something. "Is this guy bothering you?"

"No, he's fine, Lucas." She attempted a smile, thankful for the distraction from Jace for a moment. "Are they for tonight?" She pointed towards the coolers, and he nodded.

"Jules told me to store them in the cold cupboard back here." Clary moved to the back wall where there was a large cupboard locked shut, opening it up for him with her staff keys. The cool air hit her instantly, and she stepped back so he could put the cooler down.

Clary locked the door back up after him, shoving her keys back into the pocket of her blazer. "Lucas - do you think you could get me the extra large black dust sheet from the storage room?" She asked politely, folding her arms across her stomach. "And a ladder. I've finished putting up my piece, and Jules wanted it covered before the big reveal tonight."

"Of course." He smiled. "I'll bring them out to your exhibit."

"Thanks, Lucas." She followed him as he exited the door, shutting it behind him. She leaned against the frame with her hand on the door with a sigh, knowing Jace was still lurking behind her.

When she finally turned around, she saw Jace watching her with his arms folded, as expected. She raised and dropped her hands dramatically with a 'what?' expression, turning to walk out the door herself without another word.

By the time she rounded the corner to get to where her art work was installed, she saw there was already a ladder leaning against the wall and a dust sheet draped over one of the steps. She smiled at how prompt Lucas was, busying herself with the task at hand despite the fact she knew Jace was watching her from behind.

"Clary," she was on the top step of the ladder and was tossing the sheet over the back of one corner of the exhibit when she heard Jules call her name, and she carefully looked around to see him approaching her. "Here - let me help." He walked past Jace without even glancing at him, holding the legs of the ladder in place. "Wouldn't want you injuring yourself before the opening, now, would we?"

"Thanks," she laughed, finishing off with that corner of the sheet. Jules held her waist as she stepped down the ladder, sending shivers up her spine, before he moved the ladder for her to the other side. He helped her up, held the ladder firmly in place while she fixed it over the second corner, before helping her back down again.

"It looks incredible, by the way." He grinned, looking up at the now-concealed piece as she folded the ladder back up and leaned it against the wall. "You really outdid yourself, and I'm so excited for everybody to see your work."

"I wouldn't have been able to do it if it weren't for you," she complimented genuinely as she turned to face him, folding her arms across her chest. "Your techniques and your notes have helped me into the artist I am today, and I never would have been able to create this without you. So thank you."

He smiled down at her then, a soft gleam in his eye. He stepped forwards and ducked his head to place a soft kiss on her cheek, lingering slightly as he pulled away. "Take the rest of the afternoon off - you've earned it. Just make sure you're here for 7.30, and I'll give you your birthday present tonight."

"Okay," she looked up at him shyly, biting her lower lip. He had an almost hungry look in his eyes that Clary had never been before, and her stomach knotted in anticipation.

Jules leaned in again towards her, though a pointed cough from behind him stopped him from advancing further. Clary silently cursed the intrusion as he straightened himself up again and turned to face the person invading their privacy. "And who are you, may I ask?"

"Jace Herondale," he said firmly, narrowing his eyes at the man. His anger was evident in his features, his teeth clenched and jaw set. "Who are _you_?"

Jules looked at him in disbelief, laughing slightly at his question. "I'm Jules Augustine - the owner of this exhibit. Can I help you?"

Jace shook his head, pursing his lips slightly. "Not at all. Just here to talk to Clary." He and Jules stared each other down for a moment, and the tension was so thick you could have cut it with a knife.

Clary took in a sharp breath and put herself between the pair of them, facing Jules with a light hand on his chest. "He's okay, he's an old colleague from America. You must have a million things to do before tonight - you don't want to fall behind."

He was still staring daggers at Jace from across Clary's head, but eventually he settled with a sigh, looking back down at her. "You're right. I still need to call the security to organise things, check all the RSVP's, ask Lucas to hang those flyers out..." He shook his head with an exhausted expression. Clary opened her mouth to voice her concerns, to say she could stay the rest of the two hours she was supposed to be there for to help out, but he continued speaking before she could. "It'll be fine, I'm just stressed. You go relax before the opening, and I'll see you then." He placed a swift kiss to the side of her forehead before heading off without a second glance at Jace.

Taking a leaf out of Jules' book, Clary walked towards the back room to gather her things without looking at Jace. She didn't know what to do, or what to say to him, and her entire body was just shouting at her to run. She gathered her sketchbook and other works and placed them into her portfolio, shouldering her messenger bag and making sure she had her purse and keys.

"Clary, I really want to talk to you," she heard Jace say almost sadly from the door, and she froze in her spot with her hands on the back of her chair. "So much has happened since you've been gone, and we need to talk about what happened back at the hospital so long ago. I know I said I wouldn't disturb you again, but situations change."

She closed her eyes and sighed softly to herself. One part of her was itching to run into his arms and explain everything that happened on that day nine months ago, and to tell him she took it all back. But another part of her was still scared she'd ruin his life as an agent if they got too close again, and that was the last thing she wanted to happen.

She popped her lips and opened her eyes decisively, slowly turning to face him. "Okay." She said, defeated. "The art exhibit opens tonight at 7.30. We can talk then." She took one final look at him as he nodded, before she realised she had to get out of there before her entire resolve just melted away. She made her way past him without further comment, saying goodbye to Jules, Lucas, and several other interns on her way out.

* * *

It was about 6.45 that evening, and Clary was infront of the vanity in her bedroom while Magnus finished up her hair. Through their reflection she could see Magnus had seemed slightly guilty when she brought up about Jace coming into her internship, and he had genuinely apologised for betraying her trust. He'd been worried about her after the events of the ball, fearful she'd fall into a depressive state after the loss of her father and the absence of Jace. Once she'd told him about how she broke up with Jace, without valid reasons, he knew something wasn't quite right. Keeping in good terms with him meant that he could always call on him if something bad happened with Clary, and he needed his help.

Clary had understood that, at one point even worrying herself about the state she'd been in after her father's death. She hadn't expected to feel so emotionally drained the few months after it, the pain and the guilt hitting her full first. The thought of having ruined her relationship with Jace had also plagued her, and she had fallen into what seemed to be a never-ending pit of despair.

Jonathan had made her see better ways, though, with the help of Magnus and Simon. He'd organised get togethers with the four of them, just like old times, that had lifted her from her slump. Being around her friends and remembering that there had been a life before Jace had helped her realise that she couldn't spend life moping about in her bedroom about a break up, and that she had to grab life by the horns and power on through. It's what gave her the motivation to apply for the internship.

Once Magnus had finished with her hair, he guided her up from her chair and gave her the outfit he'd picked out for her, as well as the undergarments. She changed into them then and there, not concerning herself with hiding her body from Magnus since he'd seen it all on more than one occasion - being close friends and all that. The dress itself had two layers to it, the bottom dress being a black, form fitting slip with spaghetti straps that reached the top of her thighs. The second layer was just a see-through black chiffon skirt which had a slip up either side, billowing around her with every step she took. It reached right to the floor, covering the 3" brown platform ankle boots Magnus had paired with the outfit.

She looked at herself in the full length mirror and spun around with a giggle, watching her skirt and hair fly around her as she went. He'd kept her make up simple and natural, simply putting some brown eyeliner and brown mascara on, as well as her favourite lip gloss. Her hair was pulled to the side in a spiral-like braid, going from the very top of her head and incorporating her fringe into it. It drew attention to her face and framed it nicely.

"Magnificent work, as usual." Magnus placed his hands on her shoulder as he looked at her through the reflection. He'd already changed before making her over, being in a blue blazer with black pocket details and a black shirt underneath, with slim black trousers. The lapel was covered in silver glitter, matching the silver bow tie he had on. "Are we ready to go?"

She grabbed a smaller bag than my usual one, a silver glittery bag with a gold chain, and transferred my essentials across to it, before heading out to the living room alongside Magnus.

Jonathan was there already wearing a casual black suit blazer unbuttoned with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, as well as Simon who had appeared to of genuinely made an effort. He, too, was wearing a blazer jacket, a beige one that was buttoned up with one single button in the centre, though he appeared to be wearing a black graphic tee underneath it that had a bluish print of something - Clary had a feeling it may have been Darth Vader.

"Look at all my boys looking dapper for my big night." She grinned after hugging both of them, stepping back to look at the pair of them while Magnus disappeared into the kitchen. "I'm so happy we could all be here tonight. You know it means a lot to me."

Magnus emerged then with a bottle of champagne, and four champagne flute glasses. He grinned as he passed each off them a glass. "I'd like to propose a toast." He said theatrically, popping open the bottle expertly without spilling a drop. He filled each glass to a suitable level, before placing the bottle on the table beside him. He raised his glass as he spoke. "To Clary Morgenstern. One of the most talented, most well-deserving person I have ever had the privilege of meeting. This night is for you, my dear, and I hope you enjoy every moment of it."

Clary smiled at him as he looked down at her, gently clinking their glasses together. She turned to do the same with Jonathan and Simon, before her brother stepped forwards and cleared his throat. "I'd actually like to make a toast as well."

"Clary," he looked down at her with a fond smile as he shoved his empty hand into his pocket. "My incredible, strong, yet slightly annoying baby sister." The four of them giggled at that, and Clary already found herself tearing up - and he hadn't even said anything, yet! "You have gone through so much torment in your life. Too much for a 19 year old to have gone through, and yet you've managed to overcome all of it. You are the most brilliant person, and I am so happy to be able to call you my sister. You are smart, unique, talented, and utterly fantastic in every way."

"You're my baby sister, and I am so proud of the woman you've become," she let out a laugh as tears brimmed from her eyes, and she immediately wiped them away, "and I know Mom and Dad are too. I know they're looking down on us both, and are guiding us through everything we do." Clary pressed her lips into a tight line to hold herself back from crying, feeling an arm wrap around her waist. She turned to see Simon embracing her, and she leaned into him gratefully. Jonathan held his glass up high, looking down upon his sister with tears in his own eyes. "Happy Birthday, little sis. This night's for you."

"Happy Birthday!" Simon and Magnus cheered alongside him as they all lifted their glasses up and clinked them together in the centre. Clary smiled as she sipped at her champagne, looking around at the people she stood beside. The people she loved, and the people who had been there for her through everything... All except one...

"Happy Birthday, me." She giggled to herself.

* * *

Most of whom was directly invited to the gallery opening were already there when the four of them arrived, as well as at least a dozen others that had seen the exhibit advertised, being welcomed into a warm reception. At least half a dozen people that Clary had met over her month their in France wished her a happy birthday immediately upon entering, and she'd thanked them graciously.

Waiters were walking around the place with platters of champagne and food, one with glasses stopping beside them as they walked in to offer them a drink. The four of them accepted gratefully, before heading further into the room to meet and greet with people.

A short time after their arrival Simon disappeared to go find some food, while Jonathan, Clary, and Magnus remained lingering around the room. "Clary!" The familiar French accent of Jules interrupted their conversation, and she spun around to see him walking towards the group with his own glass of champagne in his hand. He wore a full fitted suit without the tie, a waistcoat being visible underneath the buttoned up blazer jacket. He had on his glasses, which Clary had come to learn he only wore to important events when he didn't want his contacts irritating him.

"Jules!" She grinned, wrapping her arms around him as he did her. He placed a kiss on her cheek as he pulled away, smiling down at her as he took a sip of his champagne. "The turn out is amazing. Well done!"

"Thank you," he nodded modestly, before raising his glass. "I couldn't have done it without you." He tapped his glass gently against hers and took a sip. He glanced over the top of her head to where Jonathan and Magnus were stood, breaking out into another wide grin. "Magnus! It's been too long."

"Indeed it has, Jules." The two of them hugged, before pulling away again. "If I recall correctly, the last time we saw each other I was shoving you into a taxi at 6 in the morning after you threw up all over Chairman Meow's bed."

Clary raised a finger as she took a sip of champagne, hastily swallowing it so she could talk. "Actually it was Church's. I remember because he wouldn't talk to me for three days because he thought it was me who did it."

"You have another cat?" Jonathan looked up at Magnus incredulously, who waved him off dismissively.

"Yes, I adopted Church from a friend after his owner moved countries not too long ago and wasn't allowed to take him with him. I'm fairly certain he's about twenty years old, and will probably out live us all." Clary and Magnus both laughed at that as they took another sip of their champagne.

"You must be Jonathan," Jules said observantly to her brother, outstretching a hand for him to shake. "The brother I've heard so much about. I'm Jules."

"Pleasure to meet you," Jonathan shook his hand with a polite nod, before dropping his to his side. "I've heard a lot of great things about you, as well. Fantastic work, by the way," he commented with a wave of his hand as he gestured around the room.

"Thank you, I'm glad you think so." Jules smiled genuinely before turning to Clary. "We're going to unveil your piece in half an hour, so we have time to give you your birthday present if you'd like."

"Sure!" Clary nodded excitedly with a grin, turning to her brother and Magnus. "We'll be back in a couple minutes. Don't go too far! I want you to be there when I unveil my piece." She disappeared off with Jules after they both promised to remain exactly where they were.

He guided her to the backroom, where it was much quieter compared to the gallery with all the busy people talking and laughing and enjoying themselves. It was a nice contrast, and Clary let out a soft, content sigh as she shut the door behind her. "Great opening." She told him again as she followed him over to his desk, placing her empty champagne flute down.

"Thank you," he smiled as he pulled out two items wrapped in pale blue glitter wrapping paper - one large, rectangular piece, while the other was smaller and square. "Like I said, I couldn't have done it without you."

He held out the two gifts stacked on top of each other for her, and she took them carefully while her gaze never left his. She placed the smaller present on the desk and began opening the large one, her curiosity getting the better of her. She was always a little odd when opening presents, never just tearing them open, instead opting to carefully peel the paper back as it was wrapped - and this was no exception.

She unfolded the final layer and pulled it off the gift, unveiling the item underneath. Her jaw dropped into a soft 'o' shape as she saw what it was, her eyebrows knitting together as she looked at it thoughtfully. In a standard wooden frame was a black print of a sound wave, like the ones you get in recordings that show the loudness of the audio. Underneath read 'The Morgenstern Waltz. In Memory of Valentine and Jocelyn Morgenstern'.

"Magnus helped me choose the song." Jules said quietly from in front of her as she turned it to look at the back, seeing it was like a photo frame so she could set it up somewhere she'd always see it. "He told me about how your family would always dance to it at special balls, and that it was a very important song to you."

"I love it," she whispered with genuine heartfelt, looking up at him. "Thank you - it's perfect." She wrapped her arms tightly around the back of his neck and pulled him into a tight hug, smiling when he returned it.

"Now the second one," he said patiently as they pulled away. She placed the frame on the desk and picked up the smaller package, wrapped in the same pretty paper.

She turned it around in her hands thoughtfully as she wondered what it would be, before finally opening it the same way she did the first present. She placed the wrapping paper beside her, looking at the leather black box that now sat in the palm of her hand. She opened it up and immediately gasped at the sight, a hand covering her mouth in awe.

Embedded in a velvet cushion was an absolutely stunning, one-of-a-kind necklace. It was about an inch and a half in diameter, the back being a goldish coloured metal with small textures across it. A white heart sat to the side, being the main subject of the jewelry, with branch-like patterns cut into it. A segmented frame sat on one side of it, curling at the top of the heart besides a tear-drop shaped red gem. Between the spiral frame and the heart, in the backing, was more branch-like patterns cut into the metal.

"Jules, this is-" her mouth was open as she floundered for words, being utterly speechless. "Jules this is incredible. Where did you find it?" She looked up at him with raised eyebrows.

"I know a very talented jewelry maker." He explained, carefully taking the box out from her hand. He took out the piece from it's casing, placing the box down on the desk and gesturing for her to turn around. "She owed me a favour, so I asked for her to create this piece for me for someone special." Clary felt the cool metal against her chest as he placed it around her, doing the chain up at the back of her neck and letting it rest against her collarbones. She felt him press a soft kiss there, sending shivers down her spine.

She turned around with her hand holding the necklace, her eyes fixated up on his. His expression was neutral as she looked down at her, a subtle glimmer of lust in his eyes. She bit her lower lip nervously as she saw him inch his way down towards her, and she found herself unable to move. Did she want this? What about Jace? _No,_ she told herself. _You can't be with Jace, remember? His career is more important_.

Before she could even make a decision for herself, his lips were against hers, and her breath was taken away. She melted into his lips as she wrapped her arms around his neck, and he around her waist. His lips were warm against hers, and pleasant, though not as soft as Jace's... _Why are you thinking about Jace?_ She mentally scolded herself as she wound her hand into the hair at the base of his neck, deepening the kiss.

Imagines of the perfect blond flashed in her mind, and she found herself lost in the kiss as she imagined it was him. She was absorbed in the thought of his lips against hers, his commanding arms wrapped around her securely in a way that no other man could. In an instant everything felt right - the image of him felt right.

Suddenly she heard the door behind them open, and she immediately shoved herself away from the man who had her arms wrapped around her. She covered her mouth instinctively as she turned to face the door, her entire body filling with dread as she saw the one face she hadn't been expecting. His eyebrow twitched angrily and his jaw was clenched as he looked between Clary and Jules, before storming out of the room in a huff.

She looked back at the stunned Jules before at the door, her heart acting before her mind could even get a word in edgeways. "Jace!" She called after him, running straight for the door to follow him.

* * *

Clary followed him straight through the centre of the art gallery, past her friends and ignoring their curious looks. She had to practically run to keep up with the brisk pace he was walking at, lifting her skirt the whole way. She saw the tail end of him storm out one of the doors in the corridor that lead to an outside square, and quickly carried on after him.

"Jace!" She called out again once she got out there, the cold night air hitting her immediately. She shivered slightly, though wrapped her arms around herself and embraced the cold. He stopped in the centre of the square, his back still to her. "Jace, I'm sorry you saw that."

He stood there for an immeasurable amount of time, and at first she was worried he may not have heard her. She was about to approach him when he finally turned around, his face a mask of pure betrayal as he looked at her. "No, Clary. I'm sorry that I came here. Clearly you've moved on."

He turned around to walk away, but Clary shouted after him. "It's not like that!" She begged, and he stopped half way through turning, though didn't look back up at her. "I don't like Jules in that way. I promise."

"Then why were you kissing him?" He said, his voice a mix of accusation and confusion. He glanced up at her from the side, a pained expression on his face. "To torture me? To get rid of me?"

"No, Jace." She sounded like she was about to cry as she stepped towards him, her hands in front of her in a pleading gesture. He didn't retreat from her, which she took as a good sign. "He kissed me, and I was so absorbed in thinking it was you that I just... embraced it."

"You thought you were kissing me?" He said in disbelief, and she shook her head.

"No, I knew it was Jules..." She looked down at the floor in slight embarrassment, wrapping her arms around her torso. "I imagined it was you. It didn't feel right, but then when I pictured your face, it _did_ feel right."

She clenched her eyes tightly shut, ashamed at the words she was speaking. She knew she shouldn't be saying those words, but she couldn't stop herself. It was like word vomit. She knew she was playing both Jace and Jules, but she didn't know what else to do. She was confused, and hurt.

Clary gasped in surprise as a hand appeared at her cheek, coaxing her to look up. She did so, looking up at Jace. He peered down at her with downturned eyes, a mixture of confusion and sadness. "You told me you didn't love me, Clary."

"I know," she choked out while shaking her head, disappointed in herself. "But I had no choice. I had to - for you."

"That's crazy talk, Clary." He said incredulously, cupping her other cheek with his other hand as well. "Why on earth would you feel the need to lie to me about your feelings?"

"Because I couldn't let you choose me over The Academy." She said firmly, gripping his wrists and pulling his hands away from her face as she fought against the feelings in her heart. "I know how much being an agent means to you, and I refused to come between that. They were onto us, and I knew you would tear yourself up inside choosing between me and The Academy... So I made the decision for you."

She tore herself away from him, turning around so she couldn't see the tears in her eyes. She clutched her forearms to her chest at the pain brewing inside as she wiped the wetness from her cheeks, refusing to look at his reaction. "That wasn't your decision to make." He heard her say quietly from behind her.

A gentle hand wrapped around her arm, then, and she tensed up as Jace rounded her to stand in front again. "Look at me, Clary." She opened up her eyes and braced herself as she looked up at him. He was more thoughtful this time, and less sad. "I have been tearing myself apart from the inside for nine months, petrified that I hurt you in a way that you could never forgive. When you told me you couldn't live my dangerous life anymore, I thought that was it - the death of your father finally pushed you over the edge, and you saw the truth in the situation. It killed me thinking it was my fault you didn't love me anymore."

"It was never your fault!" She insisted, placing her hands either side of his head as she looked desperately into his eyes. "You were perfect. It was never your fault... It was mine - I ruined it."

He placed his hands on her waist and rested his forehead against hers, sighing softly. "You didn't ruin anything, Clary. I understand why you did it; I just wished you didn't have to."

They were quiet for a few minutes, just relishing in each other's company. She felt him rubbing light, comforting circles at her hip, and she had to force herself back to reality.

"Things can't go back the way they were." She said, her voice barely above a whisper as she pulled her head away from his. "The Academy will know, and you'll lose your title. I can't let you do that for me - I won't!" She lowered her hands to take his off from her hips, lowering them back to his side.

He growled in frustration, walking away several paces as he ran his hands through his hair. He was mumbling incoherently to himself as Clary onlooked worriedly.

Suddenly he stopped, spinning around with wide eyes. "What if we can work around them?" He said frantically, his eyes skirting between both of hers. She furrowed her brows, confused. "The rules say not to have relations with a non-Agent client. What if you weren't a non-Agent?"

Clary shook her head in confusion as he placed his hands on her shoulders, his face like a little kid on Christmas - it was like he broke the enigma code with how ecstatic he was, a complete 180 to his mood just thirty seconds ago. "What are you saying? You want me to become an Agent?"

"You said it yourself, remember?" He said with arched eyebrows. "All those months ago, when we first started training together. You told me you wanted to protect people - you wanted us to be a team, to be agents together. Remember?" She nodded slowly, the realisation of his words settling in. "Would you still be up for that?"

"I-" she stammered, stepping away from him to get some air. "I don't know, Jace. I left that life behind nine months ago when you walked out of that hospital. I don't know if I could put myself in those situations again, risk other people's lives for the sake of my own." He swallowed hard at that, his face dropping at his words. Clary bit her lip hesitantly, before stepping towards him again. "But I want to be with you. And you're right, I do want to protect people... So if becoming an agent is what it takes, then I'll become a God damned agent."

He burst into laughter at that, wrapping his arms around her and lifting her into a high spin. She squealed, his laughter being infectious as she braced herself on his shoulders. She giggled as he settled her to the floor, a feeling of euphoria washing over her. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt like that - like there wasn't a single care in the world.

Jace cupped the side of her face as she slowly settled down from her laughter, peering down at her thoughtfully. She barely had time to react before he crushed his lips to hers, groaning against her lips instantly. Sparks flew wherever he touched her - her lips, her cheek, her waist. It was like she was falling in love all over again as she wrapped her arms as tight as she could around his neck, clutching him ever closer, as if she was afraid he'd disappear forever if she let go.

"I love you." She mumbled almost incoherently against his lips, though he knew precisely what she said. He tore himself away from her lips, resting his forehead against hers.

"I love you too, Clary." He whispered, his devotion only for her. "Never leave me. Please."

"Never, Jace." She shook her head firmly, closing her eyes. "Never."

* * *

 _I think, the next chapter will be the final chapter of Protocol! I KNOW, I'm just as sad as you are. This has been my first ever fanfiction that I have written completely from start to finish, and it has been a whirlwind of a ride. I'd like to dedicate this chapter personally to YOU, the readers, because honestly, this story never would have happened if it wasn't for you. Your reviews, follows, messages, likes, and just your general support has been so motivating in, that I don't think I would have completed this story without you. So thank you, from the bottom of my heart._


	34. Protocol

**Chapter Thirty Four - Protocol**

 _Before I start what will be the final chapter of Protocol, I just wanted to talk a little. I want to thank you all - all 22,000 views I've had on this story - for supporting me on this journey. There have been times when I've neglected it, and your reviews have helped me power through. There are times when I've been so excited I've even uploaded twice in one day! And that's all down to you. This never would have happened without you guys._

 _I want to make a personal special thank you to 'Carasemoji' - my most dedicated follower and reviewer. Almost every chapter, without fail, you've been there to tell me if you enjoyed the story and how you thought things would pan out. For a while, you were my ONLY reviewer, and it was you who helped me power on through those frustrating few weeks. Thank you so much for being with me throughout this journey - the whole four months. Four months!_

 _Now, I've talked long enough, and I'll probably talk more at the end of the chapter, so for now I'll leave it here. Here is the FINAL chapter of Protocol - I hope you enjoy._

* * *

 _Chapter Songs;_

 _Scene One; Make You Feel My Love - Adele  
Scene Two; Corner of Your Heart - Ingrid Michaelson  
_

* * *

In that moment, everything felt so surreal, yet so _right._

Although it was late summer, it was definitely the coldest it had been since Clary arrived, and there was a brisk wind blowing around the pair of them that made her shiver. Jace immediately retracted his arms from around her to shrug off his navy blue blazer, ignoring her protests as he wrapped it around her shoulders. His fingers stilled at her bare shoulder as he slipped it over her, delicately skimming over the now-fully healed bullet wound there. It was a very deep pink colour, almost a near perfect circle. He knew she must also have a scar directly parallel on the back of her shoulder - the exit wound.

"I'm so sorry, Clary." He said softly, tearing his gaze away from the scar as he smoothed his jacket over the top of it. "For every bad thing that's happened since we met. I know it's all my fault - if I'd never come into your life, you'd probably be living a safe, happy life with your brother and Magnus and Simon. Your father would probably still be alive, and you wouldn't have that painful reminder on your shoulder."

"Are you crazy?" She looked up at him with such a fierce expression, placing a hand on his cheek to force him to look down at her. "I don't regret meeting you for one single second. If you hadn't come into my life, I'd probably be dead right now." He flinched at those words, though she continued with her words, full of determination. "Nobody would have been there to top Starkweather, or Sebastian, or any of his men that came after Jonathan and I. But we were fortunate enough that you and your siblings were. What's a single bullet wound when you've quite literally saved my life."

As much as he was kicking himself inside, he knew she spoke the truth. And the thought of what would have happened if he _hadn't_ met her sent chills down his spine. He smiled thoughtfully down at her, leaning down to press a soft, sweet kiss to her lips. "Besides," she smiled cheekily as they pulled away. "If I'm going to start training to become an Agent when we go back to New York, I might as well get used to being shot at?"

She giggled to herself as he glared down at her, wrapping a strong arm around her waist and pulling her body flush against his in a protective gesture. "Don't even joke about that," he growled, skimming his fingers along her cheek bone as he looked down at her. "I'm already in for a world of hell worrying about you for the next Angel-knows how many years. I don't need you torturing me about it even further."

"Years, huh?" She arched an eyebrow with a smirk. "Who says we'll still be together in a few years time?"

"Me." He said with a tone of finality, pressing another closed-mouth kiss to her lips.

Clary smiled against his lips, before slowly pulling away from him. She ran her hands down his chest before interlinking one of her small, dainty hands in one of his rough, calloused ones, walking backwards so their arms were being brought up straight together. "Come on," she smiled, tugging him towards her. "They should be unveiling my exhibit soon, and it wouldn't be very professional if the artist wasn't there to present her own piece."

* * *

The exhibition seemed to be in full swing by the time they both returned, the number of people there having substantially grown since Clary ran outside after Jace. It was also considerably warmer inside, so she shrugged off his jacket and handed it back to him once they entered the main gallery.

From across the room, she immediately caught the eye of Jules who was lingering near the entrance to the back room. He smiled softly at her, though there was a small, sad downturn to his eyes. She swallowed nervously, turning to Jace for a moment with a reassuring hand on his stomach. "I just need to talk to Jules quickly. I need to apologise about what happened before."

He looked over her head, presumably at where Jules stood, before nodding and returning his gaze to her. "Alright," he kissed her firmly, almost purposefully as if to make Jules jealous. "Just don't be too long."

Clary took a deep breath as Jace let her go and headed off to go find Magnus, Simon, and Jonathan. She smoothed down her skirt before gripping the sides of it nervously, a complete contrast to how confidentially she walked over to Jules. She blamed Jace's cocky, smart-mouth nature for rubbing off on her so much.

His gaze followed her as she walked the length of the room, smiling weakly when she stopped in front of him. "Hey."

"Hi," she let out breathily, looking up at him through her lashes. "Look, Jules. About what happened-"

"Forget about it," he said dismissively with a wave of his hand. "I know who that guy is. Magnus has told me more than enough tales to know the history between the two of you - I know I can't compete with that."

"It's not the history," she deliberated cautiously, turning to find Jace in the crowd. When she did, she smiled as she saw him embraced in a brotherly hug with Jonathan. "He's done more for me than I could ever explain. He's... he's saved my life." She turned back to face Jules, expecting him to be skeptical over her words. "And I'm not kidding. I would not be stood here today if it wasn't for him."

He looked between her eyes and nodded, his brows furrowing into a tight knit. "I believe you." He said genuinely. "And I believe that you two are meant for each other. From the few interactions I've seen the pair of you share, I know that there's something everlasting between you. You're soulmates. Compared to that, what I feel for you is a mere summer crush, and I'm not going to let that stand in the way of a friendship with you."

Clary tilted her head as a soft expression came over her, completely believing his words. And she was happy for that - over the two months she'd come to know Jules, she really had thought she'd made a genuine friend in him. She didn't want to be caught in some love triangle, and she didn't want anything to get in the way of her friendship with Jules and her relationship with Jace.

"Thank you, for understanding." She brought him into a warm hug, smiling against his shoulder when she felt him return it. When they pulled away, he placed a hand on her arm and rubbed there soothingly.

"Now, let's show the world what you're capable of." He beamed down at her, placing a hand lightly at the small of her back as he guided her towards the end of the exhibition where her own piece stood.

Jules disappeared off the side to get Lucas to call attention to everybody, while Clary used the opportunity to walk over to where Jace and Magnus were stood. Jace looked up instantly upon her arrival, wrapping an arm around her. "Everything go okay?"

"Everything went fine." She smiled as he placed a kiss to her temple, looking around at the room. Jonathan appeared to of ditched them to go talk to some pretty lady, who appeared to be about the same age as him. She had soft features and deep burgundy hair that was wrapped up elegantly at the back of her head. They were both laughing, and they looked to of really hit it off. _Good for Jonathan,_ Clary thought. She seemed like a nice enough girl - certainly better than the usual ones he sought after.

Simon made his way around Magnus, then, with several glasses of champagne in his hands. He passed one to each of them before a loud voice echoed through the room, one Clary knew to be Lucas'. She turned around with the champagne flute in her hand and Jace's hand placed on her back, seeing Jules thank Lucas as he scurried away.

"As most of you will know, my name is Jules Augustine. At least, I hope you do, considering this is my gallery after all." Everyone chuckled at his joke then, and he grinned to himself. He took a step forwards and looked down at the liquid in his own glass, before back up at the room again. "This past summer I've had the privilege to work with some incredible talent, both in the field of art and advertising. My good friend Lucas, whom you may have just seen, is the one to thank for all this coming together as well as it has." He raised his glass in his direction, the rest of the room clapping politely for him.

As soon as the applause settled down, he lowered his glass and again turned to face everyone else. "But I've also been honoured enough to work alongside a wonderful young woman by the name of Clarissa Morgenstern." She freezed up at the sound of her name, watching as he fixed his gaze on her. "Clary, can you please come and join me up here."

Jace nudged her encouragingly forwards, and she shot him a warning glare as she stumbled forwards. She gave him her glass to hold before walking towards Jules, now standing directly in front of her covered exhibit. Everyone cheered for her as she walked, and suddenly she felt all too embarrassed at the attention that was focused on her.

"Clary Morgenstern is, by far, one of the most talented artists I've seen of her age." She wrapped her arms around herself as he spoke both to her and both the audience, attempting to seem at least somewhat confident in herself and the words he was saying. "Over the past two months, I have been able to watch her shape and form from a good artist to an _incredible_ artist. Life holds no bounds when it comes to the artforms she can do - drawing, painting, sculpting, projections. You name it, and she can probably do it."

"And this final piece is no exception." He said confidently, walking backwards to stand at the side of the exhibit. He gestured for her to do the same on the other side, and so she did. "It is an honour to present to you this final piece within the Augustine Exhibit - ' _Protocol',_ by Clarissa Adele Morgenstern." He placed his hand high up on the dust sheet covering the installation, tugging it off in one clean swoop. In an instant Clary could hear people gasping and talking in surprise, and the flashes of the camera from the news reporters was almost blinding. She flinched at the brightness, diverting her attention to look up at the piece.

Dozens upon dozens of strings of fairy lights hung from a tall black structure, stretching almost from the ceiling down to the bottom of the floor. The lights were small like typical fairy lights, though there must have been about a hundred on each strand, and they were intermittently turned on while the others were off. She smiled up at it, proud of what she created. To most, it would appear as if the lights were creating the form of a generic masculine face - but Clary knew differently. She knew exactly who's long hair it was, who's crooked smile it was.

 _Jace._

From the moment she'd set her eyes on him almost a full year ago, she knew there was something different about him. She hadn't expected to unfold the secrets she had, but she was glad she did. The danger, the adventure, the thrill - they all made up who _he_ was, and it made up who _they_ were as a couple. Ups and the downs were what made them stronger, and if they could overcome the battles they'd met so far, she knew they could make it through anything.

There was no denying that she was uncontrollably and irrevocably in love with him. She was a fool to thing she could forget about him by escaping to Paris, and she was a fool to think he wouldn't search for her until the ends of the earths - just to profess his own love for her. A part of her was certain that she would do the same for him, and probably even more. She would probably go as far to put her own life at risk just to protect his, and the prospect at becoming an Agent when they returned back to New York made the scenario seem awfully likely.

Most people would have been terrified at the thought - the fear of having to put your own life on the edge just to protect the one you love. But not Clary. The thought fueled her; it drove her forwards, knowing that she could protect the ones she cared about.

She looked over to where those people stood, seeing most of their gazes fixated on the art work behind her. But Jace's was on hers, and in that moment it was like he was staring into her soul. Sparks flew through her entire body, and she had a sudden overwhelming feeling of such love and adoration for that man. She thought back to what Jules had said... _You're soulmates._ And they were.

Clary bounced off her feet and immediately ran for Jace, seeing him with the exact same reaction. They met half way, Jace lifting her into his arms in an instant as she wrapped her own tightly around her neck. "I love you." She gasped, crushing her lips to his with such fury and passion that it almost sent him flying backwards.

She could see the bright lights of the flashing cameras beyond her closed eyelids, but she didn't care. All she cared about was the warmth and the joy she felt just being within Jace's arms. These kisses were different from any other they'd shared - some had been sweet, slow, and sensual. Others had been rough, kisses that proved something or kisses that were lustful. But this one was all of them mixed together - every ounce of emotion they felt was being poured into it. It was like the kiss told a story - the story of their journey together. How they met, how they fought, how they lost each other and refound their way.

And it was perfect.

* * *

 _And thus, the end of Protocol. This is such a bittersweet moment for me - I'm not sure whether to rejoice or to cry. Before I make any further comments, I'd like to share some statistics on this story:_

 _I started this story on the 15th March, 2017, and am publishing this final chapter on the 21st July, 2017. That's a little over 18 weeks, or precisely 128 days. In that time, I've written thirty four chapters and 144,550 words. On average, that makes one chapter every 3.7 days, and 4,251 words per chapter. That, to me, is phenomenal, and I would never have been able to make it without you._

 _While I am sad that this story is opening, this opens new avenues for new stories. I will be writing a BRAND NEW FANFICTION based off the TMI series, this time set in the Shadowhunters world, but in an Alternate Universe. The first chapter will be out within the next week, and if you enjoy my writing I do hope you stick with me and continue on another adventure with me._

 _I have also been debating telling you this, however I feel like I should; there will be a sequel to Protocol! This story you have come to learn and love will not end here, at least not really. It will not start up for a few months yet, after I'm at least in the swing of creating my Shadowhunters AU, however I promise you it will come. And I hope it lives up to your expectations._

 _Additionally, I have created a playlist of every song used in each chapter of this story on YouTube (_ playlist?list=PLedP5PIF3TxManj2kvLsus4qFj97Tn395) _. It is in order of how they appear in the story, so I hope it all flows nicely as one._

 _This is the end of Protocol. What a journey it has been. Again, one last final 'thank you' to all of you whom have read the story, even if it was just one chapter or you've read them all. If you've been here from the beginning, and been with me through the journey of uploading, or you've found this story years from now. Thank you, every single one of you._


End file.
